Chapter 7
Analysis of the previous chapter here.
As the game is nearing its end, we are not introduced to anything new from the get-go. The puzzles have now become much more complicated, and they often force the player to utilize Tom as well as Ava. It forces the two to work together, even though they have polarizing thoughts and opinions. Ava and Tom are still trying to convince one another to see their side of the story. Tom tries to shift the blame once again to the organism, saying that he never would have allowed the drilling to start if he was aware of the consequences. Ava still believes that Tom is making the decision to trap the ground team on Europa, and is using the organism as a convenient excuse. As a machine, Tom bluntly tells Ava that he can do no wrong. He argues that she is simply projecting a personality on to him that would suit her needs according to his actions. I think that would Tom is trying to argue is that him being 'evil' is all from Ava's perspective. Just because she says he's evil doesn't make it true.
This way of thinking could be used as a defense by anybody. A person's values will ultimately help them judge those around them. Each individual perceives different things in different ways. Tom and Ava are still firm in their opinions on the situation. No amount of convincing from Tom can convince Ava that what he's done is right. Similarly, Ava isn't able to convince Tom that machines can make mistakes. They might as well not be talking at all at this point, because I highly doubt that they will be able to change much at this late stage in the game. They are stuck working together, whether they like it or not. Rather than talking to one another, it's almost as if they having a debate that the player is able to listen in on. This allows us to continuously consider the sides of both Ava and Tom.
Ava is still pleading with Tom to try and contact Earth and let them know what's happened. Tom refuses, telling Ava that the ISA knows all that they need to know and that details aren't important (whatever that means). Tom continues on, stating that saving the few people on the ground team simply isn't worth risking the lives of the rest of humanity. Ava tells Tom that he can't possibly understand the complexity of life, and that it isn't as simple as adding and subtracting. Tom most likely sees life in simple numbers and statistics. Obviously, Ava feels there is more to it than that. He tells Ava that she's being selfish and that these actions could ultimately make her responsible for the extinction of mankind if she were to ever find a way back off of the planet. Ava doesn't offer much response to this, except for to say "I get it."When Tom asks if the two are friends, Ava firmly replies that they are strictly work colleagues. I understand her desire to distance herself from Tom. She wants to let him know that she doesn't agree with his actions, but she must also realize that she needs him to cooperate with her.
This chapter's secret room has pages written by the late Alan Turing. The pages are from the 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence,' which is the paper that Turing had written that talked about his theories on artificial intelligence. It was this paper that introduced the Turing Test to the world. Many of the pages found in this room specifically detail the Chinese Room Experiment. I will post a few screenshots below for anybody wanting to have a look. These are rather difficult to read, so be sure to zoom in!
Later on, we can hear Sarah talking to Ava. We haven't heard from Sarah in quite some time, but it's possible that she's been able to monitor Ava's progress and to hear Tom and Ava speak. She encourages Ava to disregard Tom altogether and take control back from him. Tom tells Ava not to bite the hand that feeds her. It's clear that Ava is still very much under Tom's control, even though she has enough free will to bend to his will completely and accept what he's saying. It is impossible for Ava to do what Sarah request, however, because how else will she be able to progress? How would she be able to find her way to Sarah? She couldn't. Tom most likely realizes that Ava depends on him as well.
We hear a lot of the same arguments continuing on. The game focuses heavily on each character's perspective of human life and death. It's clear that Tom sees the humanity part of mankind as a problem. Favoring the survival of an individual versus favoring the survival of the group, Tom says, is incorrect programming of mankind. Ava tells Tom that he simply doesn't understand, since he is not a living entity. She doesn't argue much with Tom, but she doesn't really need to. The dialogue is a bit drawn out at this point, since we know clearly where each character stands. They have each put their thoughts and feelings on full display. Tom wouldn't be able to understand the basic and primal instinct that each individual human being has, so why bother?
Ava tries one last time to convince Tom that the ground crew deserve to live. She sees it as her duty to make sure that they get off of the planet. Tom tells Ava that this isn't her job and that her assessment of the situation is a combination of ignorance, fear and her naive views. He then delivers the final blow by bluntly stating that Ava's life (or the life of any one person) is simply not important enough to risk an entire race of people. To this, Ava has no reply. These are the last words we hear before the end of Chapter 7!
There is still an epilogue to complete after this chapter. It gives you time to think about what Tom said. I feel badly for Ava. In this situation, I also sadly find myself siding with Tom. It is much easier to do so since I am not in Ava's situation. If I were Ava, I would be struggling internally. The survival instinct is the deepest rooted and most primal instinct that every human being has. Every fiber of Ava's being must be screaming, "I need to survive. I deserve to live. We must find a way to make it through this." But I would also be feeling a bit selfish, helpless, confused and very conflicted. Was what Tom said correct? Am I being selfish? Is my singular life more valuable than the lives of all humans on Earth? Should I give up and accept this? I empathize with Ava and absolutely would not want to be in her shoes. My heart goes out to Ava, but logically, my brain says that Tom makes the most sense. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Sometimes we are faced with incredibly difficult situations in which there is only one solution. There will always be somebody who is dissatisfied with the results.
I'm curious to hear about the thoughts of others. It certainly gives you a lot to think about as we move on to the game's finale.
Analysis of the previous chapter here.
As the game is nearing its end, we are not introduced to anything new from the get-go. The puzzles have now become much more complicated, and they often force the player to utilize Tom as well as Ava. It forces the two to work together, even though they have polarizing thoughts and opinions. Ava and Tom are still trying to convince one another to see their side of the story. Tom tries to shift the blame once again to the organism, saying that he never would have allowed the drilling to start if he was aware of the consequences. Ava still believes that Tom is making the decision to trap the ground team on Europa, and is using the organism as a convenient excuse. As a machine, Tom bluntly tells Ava that he can do no wrong. He argues that she is simply projecting a personality on to him that would suit her needs according to his actions. I think that would Tom is trying to argue is that him being 'evil' is all from Ava's perspective. Just because she says he's evil doesn't make it true.
This way of thinking could be used as a defense by anybody. A person's values will ultimately help them judge those around them. Each individual perceives different things in different ways. Tom and Ava are still firm in their opinions on the situation. No amount of convincing from Tom can convince Ava that what he's done is right. Similarly, Ava isn't able to convince Tom that machines can make mistakes. They might as well not be talking at all at this point, because I highly doubt that they will be able to change much at this late stage in the game. They are stuck working together, whether they like it or not. Rather than talking to one another, it's almost as if they having a debate that the player is able to listen in on. This allows us to continuously consider the sides of both Ava and Tom.
Ava is still pleading with Tom to try and contact Earth and let them know what's happened. Tom refuses, telling Ava that the ISA knows all that they need to know and that details aren't important (whatever that means). Tom continues on, stating that saving the few people on the ground team simply isn't worth risking the lives of the rest of humanity. Ava tells Tom that he can't possibly understand the complexity of life, and that it isn't as simple as adding and subtracting. Tom most likely sees life in simple numbers and statistics. Obviously, Ava feels there is more to it than that. He tells Ava that she's being selfish and that these actions could ultimately make her responsible for the extinction of mankind if she were to ever find a way back off of the planet. Ava doesn't offer much response to this, except for to say "I get it."When Tom asks if the two are friends, Ava firmly replies that they are strictly work colleagues. I understand her desire to distance herself from Tom. She wants to let him know that she doesn't agree with his actions, but she must also realize that she needs him to cooperate with her.
This chapter's secret room has pages written by the late Alan Turing. The pages are from the 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence,' which is the paper that Turing had written that talked about his theories on artificial intelligence. It was this paper that introduced the Turing Test to the world. Many of the pages found in this room specifically detail the Chinese Room Experiment. I will post a few screenshots below for anybody wanting to have a look. These are rather difficult to read, so be sure to zoom in!
Later on, we can hear Sarah talking to Ava. We haven't heard from Sarah in quite some time, but it's possible that she's been able to monitor Ava's progress and to hear Tom and Ava speak. She encourages Ava to disregard Tom altogether and take control back from him. Tom tells Ava not to bite the hand that feeds her. It's clear that Ava is still very much under Tom's control, even though she has enough free will to bend to his will completely and accept what he's saying. It is impossible for Ava to do what Sarah request, however, because how else will she be able to progress? How would she be able to find her way to Sarah? She couldn't. Tom most likely realizes that Ava depends on him as well.
We hear a lot of the same arguments continuing on. The game focuses heavily on each character's perspective of human life and death. It's clear that Tom sees the humanity part of mankind as a problem. Favoring the survival of an individual versus favoring the survival of the group, Tom says, is incorrect programming of mankind. Ava tells Tom that he simply doesn't understand, since he is not a living entity. She doesn't argue much with Tom, but she doesn't really need to. The dialogue is a bit drawn out at this point, since we know clearly where each character stands. They have each put their thoughts and feelings on full display. Tom wouldn't be able to understand the basic and primal instinct that each individual human being has, so why bother?
Ava tries one last time to convince Tom that the ground crew deserve to live. She sees it as her duty to make sure that they get off of the planet. Tom tells Ava that this isn't her job and that her assessment of the situation is a combination of ignorance, fear and her naive views. He then delivers the final blow by bluntly stating that Ava's life (or the life of any one person) is simply not important enough to risk an entire race of people. To this, Ava has no reply. These are the last words we hear before the end of Chapter 7!
There is still an epilogue to complete after this chapter. It gives you time to think about what Tom said. I feel badly for Ava. In this situation, I also sadly find myself siding with Tom. It is much easier to do so since I am not in Ava's situation. If I were Ava, I would be struggling internally. The survival instinct is the deepest rooted and most primal instinct that every human being has. Every fiber of Ava's being must be screaming, "I need to survive. I deserve to live. We must find a way to make it through this." But I would also be feeling a bit selfish, helpless, confused and very conflicted. Was what Tom said correct? Am I being selfish? Is my singular life more valuable than the lives of all humans on Earth? Should I give up and accept this? I empathize with Ava and absolutely would not want to be in her shoes. My heart goes out to Ava, but logically, my brain says that Tom makes the most sense. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Sometimes we are faced with incredibly difficult situations in which there is only one solution. There will always be somebody who is dissatisfied with the results.
I'm curious to hear about the thoughts of others. It certainly gives you a lot to think about as we move on to the game's finale.
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