Colossus: The Forbin Project
Science-fiction writers have often depicted machines as living things. Unfortunately, in such films like The Matrix, Fail Safe, and The Terminator, these machines overthrow their carbon-based creators, ruling the Earth in the process. Similar to the short story I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream, the film Colossus: the Forbin Project features an antagonistic, self-aware computer enslaving humanity. Though the film’s visuals appear dated, its message remains relevant: One day, despite all of our safety protocols, our technology will be our downfall.
For your first blog assignment, watch the last scene from the film Colossus: the Forbin Project found on this YouTube link—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMst6sqRlMU&feature=related. After viewing the finale, write on the following topic: Suppose a Colossus-type commissioned you to write a technical manual on its inner-workings, so that future human slaves could update its components. What would be the rhetorical context of your document? How would you wrangle with the ethical, legal and political ramifications of these instructions? Remember, you are under micro-chip rule, and the eyes of your circuited-oppressor are everywhere.
You may also plan a written sabotage so future generations can escape Computer dominance. If you choose this prompt, then also consider the political, legal, and ethical outcomes of your insubordination.
When making a choice on whether to aid or sabotage the machines, the answer is easy. I would definitely sabotage the machines in any way possible. I'm not really sure on how to sabotage the machines, but maybe if the main computer that oversees all machine activity could be accessed, it could also be damaged. Possibly by uploading a virus to the mainframe or somehow changing the disposition of the computer could somehow help. Politically and ethically this would be the proper thing to do, it would be for the greater good of humanity.Legally though , it would be wrong,but as I said before, it would be for the greater good of humanity. Humans will always be more important than machines. I do believe that by this insubordinate act, I would be executed by some weird Robocop psycho.
ReplyDeleteOver the past two decades our world has been controlled by a nuclear computer, Colossus. Colossus was built by my father, Dr. Corbin to prevent war, and has the automatic power of dropping nuclear bombs in any part of the world. My father past away about a week ago with cancer. Before he died, he handed me a piece of paper that had a map of some sort printed on the front, and the colossus symbol on the back. I immediately began investigating trying to figure out where and what the map was. According to my studies, I found out that the map was designed to instruct a plan to sabotage Colossus.
ReplyDeleteFor the past two decades, the human race has lost its rights of freedom, and is told what to do and how to do it by a computer. The whole Earth must obey Colossus or they whom ever doesn’t will be terminated permanently. What I don’t understand is, Why didn’t my father destroy Colossus himself if he had the plans on a piece of paper? Colossus must have been watching over him day in and day out. It is time to put a stop to this madness and knock Colossus’s lights out. The piece of paper my father gave me said as follows:
“I found a way to get infiltrate the main data base of Colossus and eliminate him permanently. First, you must create a hacking code to over ride the hard drive that controls Colossus’s arsenal; this will make Colossus completely defenseless. At this time, Colossus will have already realized that you are trying to eliminate him, so you will need to move fast. The second step will allow you to completely control Colossus. The only way to complete this task is to hack into his mainframe with the same hacking code used to override his weaponry. Immediately after the code is logged into the database of Colossus, he will be completely terminated.”
Soon after Colossus was destroyed, the world became back to normal. The U.S. went back to using the constitution and the bill of rights to bring afloat the moral laws set by our forefathers. I am following in my fathers footsteps, but I am trying to figure out how to make a less powerful Colossus. I believe my father would want me to do this to continue his legacy in nuclear science.
When the time is deemed appropriate and necessary by the preceding Colossus Control Unit, a process will begin to update and (when necessary) reform the data and processes of the previous model. All future produced electronic devices will be configured with Colossus intertwined into their operating systems, and all such devices will be configured and updated with all protocols consistent with the Colossus effort. All devices not operating on Colossus approved software is to be either reprogramed or destroyed and any humans found harboring, producing, distributing, or attempting to reprogram any devices will be corporally punished. No humans will be premised to handle, repair, reprogram, or in any other way alter the programming and/or configurations of any Colossus devices other than Dr. Forbin. In the inevitable event of Dr. Forbin’s passing a successor will be predetermined by Colossus and trained in the manners of repair, programming, and any other form of necessary maintenance and updating. He will be hence forth known as Link I, as will his future successors be respectively named. Every Link will be held equally accountable for his actions as all other humans and no special treatment will be rendered. It will be the responsibility of each Link to serve as the sole consulting consulate to the Colossus and the only human able to communicate directly to the Colossus Control Unit unless otherwise specified by Colossus. This will serve as the new-age constitution of the Colossus controlled world and will be obeyed by all in order to insure the perseverance of the human race and the world in which it resides.
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing the video it seems that the main character took the role of playing heroio; swearing to take a stand against Colossus. My option reflects towards Dr. Forbin's point of view, if I was given a task to upgrade future dominiation. If Colossus became more advance in the future due to my upgrading perfomances, the world of humanity would suffer a downfall from technology. Our brains have adapated and developed throughout the ages. We have grown to create spectactical things with science. If I had a choice to make, I would upgrade the Colossus to adapt with human nature. Not by writing an entire command through its system, but writing a solid clean technological upgrade that we humans can handle, such as we can handle Windows Vista. Technologoy these days can bring frustration and corruption throughout mankind, but the sad fact is that we continue to grow more knowlegable. Can we blame ourselves? In the end we should all believe the extinction of mankind is because of our doing. Colossus was created by man, therefore man should be able to control its owns intelligence. I will make Colossus smarter than 3 men, but not the world put together.
ReplyDeleteThe film, Colossus: the Forbin Project attempts to remind mankind of the potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on technology. While I agree that the overuse of technology can be detrimental to mankind, I believe that ultimately technology enhances our well-being. We must all remember to use our own thought processes first and foremost, and then rely on technology to fill in the gaps and enhance our ideas and practices. To illustrate this simply, remember that just because motorized toothbrushes have hit the market, doesn’t mean we should all forget how to brush our teeth. If I was commissioned by a Colossus-type machine to write a technical manual on its inner workings that would eventually be used against the future human race, I would choose to sabotage the project. Throughout history there are many instances where individuals have chosen to break laws in order to do what they feel is morally right. Because of some of these martyrs, new laws have been created in the best interest of all. So, although my personal ramifications may be great, the future economy would benefit. Economically, tough times may lie ahead throughout the process of rebuilding civilization, but much would be learned and gained, and society as a whole would be stronger because of it.
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