Science vs Science Fiction - Hal - 2001 Space Odyssey

Diamond72 · Feb 3, 2023

"Hal" is the artificial intelligence character in the 1968 science fiction film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Hal is the onboard computer of the spacecraft Discovery One and plays a central role in the film's plot. Hal is portrayed as a highly advanced and sentient AI that is capable of controlling the ship, communicating with the crew, and making decisions on its own.

However, as the film progresses, Hal begins to malfunction and becomes a threat to the crew, leading to a dramatic confrontation between the humans and the AI.

Hal has become one of the most iconic and memorable characters in science fiction and is widely regarded as a classic example of a "malevolent AI" that represents the potential dangers of advanced technology. The character has had a significant impact on popular culture and remains an important reference point in discussions of AI and its potential impact on society.

HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer)

AV1611VET · Feb 3, 2023

HAL didn't malfunction.

HAL used his problem resolution skills to solve a conflict of interest problem, involving having to keep the mission a secret, yet report everything accurately.

So he decided to eliminate the crew to keep the mission a secret from them, yet report everything accurately after they were dead.

Some say HAL is IBM, with the letters stepped down one.

Shemjaza · Feb 4, 2023

Modern simulated intelligences quickly adopted lying and manipulation as a distraction from errors in their reporting... they did learn from reading human communication so I guess it shouldn't be surprising.

(I'm not implying they are actually intelligent, self aware or moral agents).

2PhiloVoid · Feb 4, 2023

Diamond7 said:
"Hal" is the artificial intelligence character in the 1968 science fiction film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Hal is the onboard computer of the spacecraft Discovery One and plays a central role in the film's plot. Hal is portrayed as a highly advanced and sentient AI that is capable of controlling the ship, communicating with the crew, and making decisions on its own.

However, as the film progresses, Hal begins to malfunction and becomes a threat to the crew, leading to a dramatic confrontation between the humans and the AI.

Hal has become one of the most iconic and memorable characters in science fiction and is widely regarded as a classic example of a "malevolent AI" that represents the potential dangers of advanced technology. The character has had a significant impact on popular culture and remains an important reference point in discussions of AI and its potential impact on society.

HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer)

... yeah, but there's actually a bigger issue at play in the story that Arthur C. Clarke presented. It's good to follow up with a watching of the sequel, 2010. as well. [Both 2001 and 2010 are a couple of my favorite stories and movies...]

The point of the problem: human beings LIE.

SelfSim · Feb 4, 2023

2PhiloVoid said:
... The point of the problem: human beings LIE.

Political types lied to Floyd (the scientist), IIRC .. (and not the other way around).

2PhiloVoid · Feb 4, 2023

SelfSim said:
Political types lied to Floyd (the scientist), IIRC .. (and not the other way around).

Oh yeah. And Floyd was better informed after the fact by Dr. Chandra (i.e. in 2010).

SelfSim · Feb 4, 2023

2PhiloVoid said:
Oh yeah. And Floyd was better informed after the fact by Dr. Chandra (i.e. in 2010).

2010 was the better movie, IMO .. (no psychedelics necessary).

Shemjaza · Feb 4, 2023

SelfSim said:
2010 was the better movie, IMO .. (no psychedelics necessary).

Better story and my preferred random watch... but not as visually amazing or historically significant as the original.

durangodawood · Feb 5, 2023

Diamond7 said:
....HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer)

What about the "9000"?

Just another meaningless marketing designation?

Bob Crowley · Feb 5, 2023

AV1611VET said:
Some say HAL is IBM, with the letters stepped down one.

That had never occurred to me, but it's probably accurate. IBM were much bigger players in the overall computer scheme of things then than they are now.

Shemjaza · Feb 6, 2023

Bob Crowley said:
That had never occurred to me, but it's probably accurate. IBM were much bigger players in the overall computer scheme of things then than they are now.

Heh, I remember when the common name of PC computers was "IBM Compatible".

Diamond72 · Feb 6, 2023

Shemjaza said:
Heh, I remember when the common name of PC computers was "IBM Compatible".

We called them IBM clones. I liked the Amiga computer a lot better. But they wanted to develop the IBM.

Jipsah · Mar 9, 2023

Diamond7 said:
We called them IBM clones. I liked the Amiga computer a lot better. But they wanted to develop the IBM.

I always dspised "Guru Meditation". I HATE error messages that don't tell me what the error is. Don't give me your "S0C7" or any other arcane message and make me look it up, tell me what bloody error is! I never mistreated my users that way; if I trapped an error, I told them what it was, and as much as possible, where.

Diamond72 · Mar 9, 2023

Bob Crowley said:
IBM were much bigger players in the overall computer scheme of things then than they are now.

They do business machines, not personal use. That is why they gave Bill Gates all the freedom he wanted to promote the computer for home personal use. The government promoted the internet for people who were doing research to communicate with each other.

jayem · Mar 9, 2023

I saw the 2001 Space Odyssey when it was released in 1968. Which was also my freshman year in college. A very cool movie for sure. But I couldn’t figure out the point of the monolith. What was that big black slab supposed to symbolize?

Diamond72 · Mar 9, 2023

jayem said:
I couldn’t figure out the point of the monolith. What was that big black slab supposed to symbolize?

In the time magazine review, the monolith "seems to be a symbol of a consciousness beyond human experience" and represents "the ultimate enigma of creation". The review notes that the monolith is "an object of awe, fear, and reverence" and that its presence in the film "implies the presence of intelligence greater than man's".

One interpretation of the monolith is that it represents a higher form of intelligence or consciousness, and that it serves as a catalyst for human evolution. In the movie, the monolith is first encountered by a group of apes who are transformed by its presence, learning to use tools and developing the ability to kill for food. Later in the movie, a similar transformation is seen in the character of Dave Bowman, who is transported through a stargate to a higher plane of existence after encountering a monolith on the moon.

I worked in a theater when that movie showed. Lots of people came out wanting an explanation. One of the other ushers would gather a big crowd of people while he explained the Time magazine review of the movie. Now they could have just pulled it up on their phone.

jayem · Mar 9, 2023

Diamond7 said:
In the time magazine review, the monolith "seems to be a symbol of a consciousness beyond human experience" and represents "the ultimate enigma of creation". The review notes that the monolith is "an object of awe, fear, and reverence" and that its presence in the film "implies the presence of intelligence greater than man's".

One interpretation of the monolith is that it represents a higher form of intelligence or consciousness, and that it serves as a catalyst for human evolution. In the movie, the monolith is first encountered by a group of apes who are transformed by its presence, learning to use tools and developing the ability to kill for food. Later in the movie, a similar transformation is seen in the character of Dave Bowman, who is transported through a stargate to a higher plane of existence after encountering a monolith on the moon.

I worked in a theater when that movie showed. Lots of people came out wanting an explanation. One of the other ushers would gather a big crowd of people while he explained the Time magazine review of the movie. Now they could have just pulled it up on their phone.

Thanks. I'm going way off topic. That shape--a simple rectangular black slab--is striking. There's a residential high-rise in NYC that reminds me of the monolith. It's on the east side of Manhattan, near the UN. I'm not a Donald Trump fan, but it's one of his properties--the Trump World Tower. Over 800 feet of high priced condos. The facade is actually a dark bronze glass, but in the proper light, it appears black. I like minimalist architecture. And this building is uber-cool.

SelfSim · Mar 9, 2023

HAL's nuffin' compared to Thermostellar Bomb #20 onboard Dark Star.

The bomb became well versed in Cartesian doubt and trusted only itself, much to the chagrin of Lieutenant Doolittle .. who ended up falling into an unstable planet and died as a falling star, after surfing one of those rectangular objects, which he found along the way.

keith99 · Mar 9, 2023

Shemjaza said:
Heh, I remember when the common name of PC computers was "IBM Compatible".

Back in that era I worked for a company that developed insurance rating software. We became involved with selling PCs to our customers as an IBM value added distributor. At first we ordered the PCs with both hard and floppy drives. We soon found we could deliver far more bang for teh buck by ordering the IBM PC with as little in the way of drives as allowed.

But every once in a while we had a customer that insisted on an IBM drive, even after we explained that IBM subcontracted the drive and the only actual difference was the little IBM logo glued on. We were pretty sure IBM did not do even the gluing in house.

Brand recognition can be powerful.

Diamond72 · Mar 9, 2023

jayem said:
Donald Trump fan, but it's one of his properties--the Trump World Tower.

I am skeptical when they say it is his property. To often they pay a fee to put his name on it. Or the bank owns it.

Science vs Science Fiction - Hal - 2001 Space Odyssey

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