Re: [FT]SML question

--- Richard and Emily Bell <rlbell@sympatico.ca>
wrote:
> 
> 
> David Griffin wrote:
> 
> > If we're permitted Star Trek level tech, the
> fighters
> > may be sentient computers, as complex and
> self-aware
> > as any fighter pilot, only with vast resources of
> > data, tactics, experience (not all it's own), and
> > the lightning speed possible with a machine.
> Yikes!
> 
> Star Trek must know something that we do not, as
> they have explicitly
> not constructed sentient warships, despite their
> clearly proven ability
> to do so (Does anyon remember the M-5 computer?).
> 

They remember, but are getting into the same problem
sideways with "photonic lifeforms" aka holodeck
lifeforms. Yes, they're petrified to create sentient
starship, but clearly they can do it. Would this
be a good idea? Hmm... maybe and maybe not. Depends
on whether they like you. If they don't you're in
first class trouble. If they do, you have a
potentially
far better ship that can help get itself out of 
scrapes and is rather difficult to hijack. A ship
that can go on fighting even when the crew is
incapacitated. A ship that can repair itself with
holographic crew if necessary.

Maybe it's ok if, like Moira on Farscape, the ship
is unarmed. Even if you plan to arm them (even
a fighter) maybe it's better to start with unarmed
ships first to see how it goes (and make sure to
treat them right so they don't want to revolt).

I sometimes think that the Feds let one bad 
experience cause them to throw out a whole concept
when it doesn't deserve to be. Maybe you just don't
use the engrams of a psychotic when you make sentient
computers?

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