Dr. Briefs said:
:Federico Talens Alesson wrote:
:>The other day I watched again the eps. 11-12, and wondered what was exactly
:>what went on about Washuu, Ryouko and Zero.
:
:>ZERO.
:
:>Clay builds Zero (actually I believe she is built, a true machine) as the
:>site of an artifical intelligence. Overdoing it, he makes such a perfect
:>site that the intelligence becomes sentient.

    Where do you draw the line between machine and being?

:>Zero does for Clay exactly the same kind of job as Ryouko: she is a marauder
:>(in another style, but this is irrelevant).
:
:>However, as Zero is not a living being, she lacks things sentient living
:>beings have, as psychological defences: people can forget things they have
:>done (even to amnesia) to protect their own minds. Also, they can feel
:>embarrasment or shame, especially if deep feeling or thoughts are revealed.
:>But she does not needs that kind of protection.

    There are two assertions being made here: that Zero is not a
    living being, and that Zero is not a sentient being.  Does life
    imply sentience?  Does sentience imply life?

    Note that Zero was afraid after meeting with Tokimi.  Isn't fear
    an emotional quality befitting those in fear for their life?

:[rest snipped]
:
:Actually, while Dr. Clay probably did just build Zero as a machine, her
:ability to "copy" another individual was not given her by Dr. Clay, but by
:Tokimi, thus being able to achieve a "perfect copy." The evidence for this
:is Dr. Clay's statement about Ryouko's gem, "Even Her Majesty's power
:couldn't duplicate it."  By "Her Majesty," Clay was referring to Tokimi, and
:he was astounded that Washuu could create something that Tokimi's power (the
:power of a goddess) was unable to make an exact copy of.  This is also the
:reason why Dr. Clay couldn't tell for sure if the gem actually existed.

    Tokimi gave Zero the ability to "copy another individual"?  I
    was running on the idea that Zero had this ability (programmed
    in by Dr. Clay), which was enough to copy Ryouko but not the
    gems.  Then while Ryouko was undercover, Dr. Clay had tried
    again on the ship to copy the gems (but failed).  Hmmmm, I'll
    have to watch these episodes again... ^^;

:So, if Zero sentient?  Being the "perfect copy" of Ryouko, I'd say that she
:is, as Ryouko is also sentient.

    Nah, Zero was a better Ryouko.  At least Zero was honest about
    her feelings.  Wouldn't life be different in the household if
    Ryouko kept Zero's bashful disposition?  ^_^!


___/^_^\___ Eugene Lee
            zangief@netcom.com