There are aspects of this problem, and a possible explanation of the apparent over-complexity, running through the Freefall Web Comic.
I think you have to go back at least a year to pick up the beginnings of the relevant story thread. Florence Ambrose, anthropomorphic wolf and artificial person, has discovered similarities between the engineering of her brain, and that of most of the robots on the plant.
(I’m going to have to check the in-story implications of that.)
Anyway, the point is that the humans can’t design a brain from a blank slate. The robot brains are copies of something else, with certain parts removed or suppressed.
(Checks index...)
March ’07, such hardship. Mostly, people forget Florence is a form of robot. The people who treat her like one are a bit creepy.
There are aspects of this problem, and a possible explanation of the apparent over-complexity, running through the Freefall Web Comic.
I think you have to go back at least a year to pick up the beginnings of the relevant story thread. Florence Ambrose, anthropomorphic wolf and artificial person, has discovered similarities between the engineering of her brain, and that of most of the robots on the plant.
(I’m going to have to check the in-story implications of that.)
Anyway, the point is that the humans can’t design a brain from a blank slate. The robot brains are copies of something else, with certain parts removed or suppressed.
(Checks index...)
March ’07, such hardship. Mostly, people forget Florence is a form of robot. The people who treat her like one are a bit creepy.