To hear the Other

Piotr F. Piekutowski
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1811-2073

Abstract

Worlds known from literature or science fiction films have accustomed us to terrifying contacts with the Other; be it through invasions of extraterrestrial civilizations or with soulless artificial intelligence. In his novels, Stanisław Lem often wonders what a real confrontation with an alien life form might look like and whether we would be able to hear it at all. In Golem XIV, the Other – a supercomputer – has the answer to probably every question plaguing humanity. The communication barrier seems not to exist; Golem has no biological body or senses, it is a perfect machine, pure Reason. However, a superintelligent computer must reach humans with its inhuman words.


Keywords

Stanisław Lem; Golem XIV; the Other; alien civilization; supercomputer


Published : 2021-04-07


PiekutowskiP. (2021). To hear the Other. No Limits, (1(3), 10-11. https://doi.org/10.31261/no_limits.2021.3.03

Piotr F. Piekutowski 
University of Silesia  Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1811-2073




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