lew@ihuxr.UUCP (07/28/83)
The selection "Non Serviam" by Stanislav Lem in "The Mind's I" casts an interesting light on the question of why God doesn't reveal himself openly. The selection is a story about an AI researcher who creates an entire abstract universe inside a computer, complete with "personoids". These personoids are much different than a HAL or a robot since their whole milieu is internal to the machine. They are completely unaware of any other type of existence. They have discussions about various philosophical questions (creation, morality, etc.) and their creator can eavesdrop on these. He is in the position of God to them, but one can easily see that his power to manipulate their reality is severly limited. He considers the morality of revealing himself to them by some means, and even of suddenly "turning them off" (shudder). The editors comment in the "Reflections": "The vision of personoids patiently awaiting a proof of the existence of God by a miracle is quite touching and astonishing." I agree. This reminds me of the Gnostic doctrine that the Creator is not the ultimate God. We can imagine gnostic personoids who somehow divine their situation and tell their creator (like the square tells the sphere in "Flatland"), "you are no better off than us!" Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew