Do the Geth actually have souls or are they just really, really, intelligent, self-sustaining, self-aware machines?
On a whole, I would say that it's really hard to tell. The Geth in general are very logical who act in an efficient cohesion through their neural network. They even denied Nazara (Sovereign) on logical grounds that it would be better to advance with their own technology rather than someone elses.
Take a look however at what they did during the Morning War. They didn't become violent until they were attacked, they fought in defense of their own existence. They also chose to allow the quarians to leave without a fight and decided that there was no further point in fighting. Even though on logical grounds, the quarians could possibly return and spark the war again. They even decided not to do anything to Rannoch despite there being a logical argument that the quarians would always return for war if they could still regain their homeworld.
But what about the Heretics? They had access to the same data and logical reasoning that the rest had, but they still chose to join Sovereign and rever him as a god. If they didn't act on free will, did they have defective data processors? If Geth are linked by the same network, how did some come up with a different logical conclusion than all of the others with the same data and the same cohesive union?
What about Legion? He is an advanced geth with all of their strengths, but he couldn't give a logical reason as to why he grafted Shepard's armor into his body. He also tries to kill Shepard if the player decides to let the Quarians kill the geth in Mass Effect 3. He had to have known that he had no logical chance of success, but tried anyway. He also seems sad and regretful just before he dies on that level. Does he have a soul?
Thoughts anyone?
Geth: Do these units have a soul?
Débuté par
ShadowLordXII
, avril 08 2012 10:22
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#2
Posté 09 avril 2012 - 12:39
PsiFive
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Early in the morning for metaphysical stuff but I've always rather doubted that I have a soul as opposed to a mind, a conscience and a sense of fair play. If there's a god or some similar entity and it put those there for some reason then possibly it's the same thing or facets of the same thing. If there isn't or if any god is the hands off, deist kind then probably it's the other way round. Whether that would also apply to fictional alien electronics I have no idea but if the automatic coffee machine gets all existential on me later and refuses to make a cup until it understands the nature of being then it's going back under warranty.
#4
Posté 03 juin 2012 - 08:23
Robmoo
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If you can ask if you have a soul then you have one. I see a lot of souless humans walking about without a thought to the destruction they create. They never even think to ask if they have a soul. They don't. They are living furniture in a world that tries to endure the suffering they create.
#5
Posté 25 novembre 2012 - 08:14
DarkGujji
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I suppose they do in terms of emotion. For example Legion has occasionally said "No data available" in multiple circumstances.
"No data available" means that his reasons for making a particular decision is irrational, such as using Shepard's N7 armour instead of a more advanced one which could increase survivability. The Geth as a sentinient synthetic species, conduct a consensus to find the most rational decision that agrees with the current situation, in order to gain optimal success. Legion frequently informs you of the success rate in certain circumstances, for example he may inform you that there is a 98.4% chance of death on the suicide mission. In other decisions he conducts a consensus where all 1183 units in his platform make a an individual decision which is put forward to the final consensus, for example the decision involving the heretics. Both methods of consensus, however has a rational explanation. The heretic consensus was a democracy and the probability consensus was based on mathematics and calculation that coincides with reality.
This has led me to believe that there was no actual consensus made when Legion took Shepard's armour and made it his own. It was an irrational decision. These are decisions that can only be made by organics as it is based strongly on emotion. Therefore Legion was feeling emotion. This is not familiar to the Geth, thus Legion cannot comprehend it. Rational thinking cannot find a solution to his actions. Therefore he says "No data available". It confirms that the Geth do indeed "have a soul".
In addition, Tali said so
"No data available" means that his reasons for making a particular decision is irrational, such as using Shepard's N7 armour instead of a more advanced one which could increase survivability. The Geth as a sentinient synthetic species, conduct a consensus to find the most rational decision that agrees with the current situation, in order to gain optimal success. Legion frequently informs you of the success rate in certain circumstances, for example he may inform you that there is a 98.4% chance of death on the suicide mission. In other decisions he conducts a consensus where all 1183 units in his platform make a an individual decision which is put forward to the final consensus, for example the decision involving the heretics. Both methods of consensus, however has a rational explanation. The heretic consensus was a democracy and the probability consensus was based on mathematics and calculation that coincides with reality.
This has led me to believe that there was no actual consensus made when Legion took Shepard's armour and made it his own. It was an irrational decision. These are decisions that can only be made by organics as it is based strongly on emotion. Therefore Legion was feeling emotion. This is not familiar to the Geth, thus Legion cannot comprehend it. Rational thinking cannot find a solution to his actions. Therefore he says "No data available". It confirms that the Geth do indeed "have a soul".
In addition, Tali said so
