CryptoChild on 22/12/2007 at 21:26
Who is she? Is she even a she or is she an it? Most sources portray Shodan as merely an artificial intelligence and nothing more than a programming code, a computer program, if you will. I ask you, is there room for an alternative interpretation of Shodan? The Shodan we all love and know did not exist before the tampering of the computer program that resulted in the removal of its ethical constraints. I have a different theory, however. I wonder if it is possible that Shodan is a spiritual entity/power that took over a computer program. Obviously, in theory, this spiritual entity would be a manevolent one. It also fits firmly in Shodan's ability to take over a human host, posession if you will. Just wondering your thoughts. For those not well versed in the history of religion or civilization, in ancient times in the Judaic tradition, Sophia was the name of a spiritual force that was considered femenine, later picked up by the Gnostics. I think it is possible that Shodan is the Yin/Yang to Sophia, a feminine spiritual force, opposed to being benevolent, is manevolent.
Trance on 22/12/2007 at 21:28
I think SHODAN hates me :( What did I do wrong?
Pardoner on 22/12/2007 at 22:05
Yes, after playing the two System Shock games, I too was convinced that Shodan was the Yang counterpart to a benevolent Judaic goddess later appropriated by the Gnostics.
Honestly, though, I don't know what to make of this. The only part of this that's even vaguely coherent to me is
Quote:
I wonder if it is possible that Shodan is a spiritual entity/power that took over a computer program.
And, taken on its own, that is utterly ridiculous. Especially given that there's a simple and relatively plausible explanation for your question in game, why is there a need to concoct such a needlessly complex and baseless assortment of psycho-religious ramblings and punctuate it with 'if you wills'? What are you trying to get at?
CryptoChild on 22/12/2007 at 22:25
Sorry you didn't like the thread. My only advice is to ignore it as I am going to ignore your reply. No one is forcing you to read or reply to any of this and I'm certainly not going to spoon-feed you to understand any of it either. I suppose you could use the Oxford English Dictionary and go through word by word but why bother for a thread you didn't like to begin with? Anyway, back on topic.
Al_B on 22/12/2007 at 22:58
I've posted this before, but this quote from the 'terminal access' guide sums it up for me:
Quote Posted by 'Kyojio Sashumori, psychatric consulatant specialising in aberrant AI behaviour'
The public's base understanding of Artificial Intelligence is all wrong. Because AIs, like the ones directing traffic in most major cities, are usually given a facial logo and a name, most people consider them electronic personalities. This is terribly off target. An AI is utterly alien to the human mind. It is an incomprehensible, autonomous thinking construct to which all concepts of morality and emotion are foreign. Just because the face on the monitor of your local library smiles at you doesn't mean that the AI behind it has any understanding of friendliness whatsoever. To an AI, a human being is just another variable.
Shodan always seems both extremely confident, and very unsure - quite probably an AI with an insecurity complex (although that's probably in itself putting far too much humanity into it). As far as a spiritual entity / power - it's an interesting view, but I don't see it being plausible.
kidmystik101 on 23/12/2007 at 02:51
She's a psycho bitch. Duh.
catbarf on 23/12/2007 at 04:22
Quote Posted by kidmystik101
She's a psycho bitch. Duh.
QFT.
ZylonBane on 24/12/2007 at 00:04
Quote Posted by CryptoChild
I ask you, is there room for an alternative interpretation of Shodan?
No.
Now go eat a cheeseburger.
CryptoChild on 24/12/2007 at 03:07
I will....if we go have a burger together.
ZylonBane on 24/12/2007 at 05:23
Quote Posted by Alinestra Covelia
Personally SHODAN was the part of SS2 I liked the least.
Get out.
