An Honest Conversation
by Tamara Eaton
“Truthfulness is the foundation of every other virtue.” Trish spun her chair from the computer screen.
Dave stopped clicking at his keyboard, leaving silence in their basement workspace. “That means computers are nearly perfect as they can only be honest and tell you the information they have, if programmed competently, according to Asimov.”
“Then, the computers might be the only thing that is more perfect than its creator,” Trish’s tone ended on the challenge.
“What about art?” Dave’s question hovered, a metaphorical speech bubble above them.
Trish countered, “Are computers art?
Dave shook his head in the negative. “Well, they may be, but that’s not what I meant. Is a piece of art more perfect than its creator?”
“Is art perfect?” Trish asked. “Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, is it not? Would everyone viewing a painting, let’s say the Mona Lisa,” she waved at the replica on the wall, “take away from it the same perfection?”
After staring at the Mona Lisa, a poster with curling edges, Dave’s eyebrows scrunched in wavy question marks. “But is it more perfect than da Vinci? Is the Mona Lisa more perfect than the man?”
“Da Vinci was pretty perfect,” Trish said. “Inventor, Artist, Scientist, Engineer. Doesn’t get much more perfect for a human.”
“True. But is his art more perfect than him?”
“Da Vinci isn’t a Supreme Being, but he had great attributes. His art stands above most.” Trish stood to study the poster, taking in the Mona Lisa from various angles.
The computer fan came on, disturbing the silence.
“Agreed. Who’s on first?” Dave broke their philosophical musings, reminding them both of the need to get back on task.
“I need to hack this program before I stop for the game.” Trish sat at the computer, the code blinking. “Competent programming, is there such a thing?”
Dave shrugged.
