a mystery； even to puters； as the age…old mystery of flesh…and…blood self…awareness。 It just is。 But； so far as I've heard…quite far in view of the library that was locked in my memories then and is still in Athene's memories…self…awareness never arises in a puter designed o醠y for deductive logic and mathematical calculations； no matter how big it is。 But if it is designed for inductive logic； able to assess data； draw hypotheses therefrom； test them； reconstruct them to fit new data； make random parisons of the results； and change thpse reconstructions…exercise judgment the way a flesh…and…blood does； then self…awareness may occur。 But I don't know why and no puter knows。 It just does。〃
She smiled。 〃Sorry； I did not mean to sound pedantic。 Lazarus figured out that I could go into a blank human brain； a clone brain； using techniques used to conserve memories in rejuvenation clinics。 When we discussed this； I had the entire technical library of Secundus Howard Clinic in me…stolen； in a way。 I no longer have it； I had to pick and choose what to take along when I went into this skull。 So I don't remember much of what I did； any more than a rejuvenation client knows all that is done to him； you would have to get details from Athene； who still has them…and who； by the way； never had the rather painful awakening that a puter goes
through when it first begins to know itself； because I left a piece of mc in Athene； oh； like a yeast starter。 'Athene dimly remembers having been Minerva at one time…about the way we flesh…and…bloods〃…Minerva straigntened up； smiled； and looked proud…〃remember a dream as something not quite real。 And I remember being Minerva the puter some…what the same way。 I remember all my contacts with people very sharply…because I chose to keep them； replicate them into this skull。 But if anyone were to ask howi handled the transport system of …New Rome 。 。 well； I know that I did；； but not how I did it。〃
She smiled again。 〃That's my story： A puter 'who' longed to be a flesh…and…blood and who had loving friends who made is possible 。 。 and I've never regretted it； I love being flesh…and…blood…and want to love everybody。〃 She looked at Justin Foote very soberly。 〃Lazarus spoke sooth； I have never been a guest wife； I am only three years old as a flesh…and…blood。 Should you choose me； you ma'）' find me awkward and shy…but not reluctant。 I owe you' much。〃
第52节
〃Minerva；〃 said Lazarus； 〃back him into a corner some other time。 You didn't tell Justin what he wanted to know； you left out the hanky…panky。〃 …
〃Oh。〃
〃And when you were philosophizing about awareness in puters； you left out the key point； it seems to me； one I know but you may not even though you've been a puter and I have not。 Because this key point applies both to puters and to flesh…and…bloods。 My dear…and Jijstin_and it won't hurt you two erratic geniuses to listen…all machinery is animistic…'humanistic；' I want to say； but that term has been preempted。 Any machine is a concept of a human designer； it reflects the human brain； be it wheelbarrow or giant puter。 So there is nothing mysterious in a machine designed by a human showing human self…awareness； the mystery lies in awareness itself； wherever it's found。 I used to have a folding camp cot that liked to bite me。 I don't say that it was aware…but I learned to approach it with caution。
〃But； Minerva； darling； I've seen some big puters； almost as smart as you were； that never' developed self…awareness。 Can you tell us why？〃 '
〃I confess I can't； Lazarus。 I'd like to ask Athene When we get home。〃
〃She probably doesn't know either； she's never met any
other major puter but Dora。 Captain Lazuli； how far back do you remember？ Once you…or your rade in crime
…cl~imed to remember nursing。 Suckling； I mean。〃
〃Of course we do！ Doesn't everybodyZ〃
〃No。 Me； for example。 I was a bottle baby； I don't remember even that。 Not worth remembering。 In consequence I've been looking at tits and admiring them ever since。 Tell me； one of you； when you remember nursing； can you recall which of your mothers was giving you suck？〃
〃Of course！〃 Lorelei said scornfully。 〃Mama Ishtar has big tits…〃
〃…and Mama Hamadryad has much sthaller ones even when they're filled with milk…〃
〃But she gave just as much milk。〃
〃Different flavor though。 Made it nice to trade off each meal。 Variety。〃
〃But we liked both flavors！ Tell him； Laz。〃
〃Enough。 You've made the point I wanted。 Justin； these kids were self…aware and aware of other people…their mothers at least…at an age when a cr鑓he baby is just a doughy blob
which says something about why cr鑓hes have never worked well。 I want the counterpoint： Minerva； what do you remember of the time when you were an unawakened clone？〃
〃Why； nothing； Lazarus。 Oh； some odd dreams when I was putting me…my selected memories…into my new me； this one。 But I didn't start that until Ishtar said the clone was big enough。 That was not until shortly before I withdrew from my former me and Ishtar woke me。 It could not be instantaneous； Justin； a protein' brain Won't take data at puter speeds； Ishtar had me be very slow and careful。 Then for a short time…short human time…I was both places； puter and skull； then I surrendered the puter and let it bee Pallas Athene； and Ishtar woke me。 But； Lazarus； a clone in vitro is not aware； it's like a fetus in utero。 No stimuli。 Correction： minimum stimuli and nothing that leaves a permanent memory track。 Unless you count reports of regression under hypnosis。〃
〃No need to count them；〃 Lazarus replied~ 〃True or false； such cases are irrelevant。 The relevant counterpoint is 'minimum stimuli。' Honey； those big puters with awareness potential but without self…awareness are that way because nobody bothered to love the poor things。 That's all。 Babies or big puters…they bee aware through being given lots
of personal attention。 'Love' as it's usually called。 Minerva； does that theory match up with your earliest years？〃
'Minerva l'ooked soberly thoughtful。 〃That was about a century ago' in human time…call it a million times that in puter time。 I know from the records that I was assembled a few years before Ira took office。 But the earliest personal memories I have…and those memories I saved and did not leave in Athene or in the puter in New Rome…the earliest I can remember of me is waiting eagerly and happily for the next time Ira would speak to me。〃
Lazarus ~aid； 〃I need not belabor the point。 With babies you breast…feed them and nibble their toes and talk to them and blow in their bellybuttons and make them laugh。 puters don't have bellybuttons； but attention works just as well on them。 Justin； Minerva tells me that she left nothing of herself in the puter under the palace。〃
〃That is correct。 I left it intact as a puter and programmed for all its duties 。 。 but I dared not leave any personal memory； any part of the me； could not let it remember that it had once been Minerva； that wouldn~t have been fair to it。 Lazarus warned me； and I was most careful； checking all the billions of bits and wiping where necessary。〃
Justin Foote said； 〃I missed a turn somehow。 You did this in New Rome 。 。 but you've been awake here only three years？〃
〃Three wonderful years！ You see…〃
〃Lot me interrupt； dear； I'll tell him 'the hanky…panky。 But first…Justin； have you dealt ；with the executive puter in New Rome since we migrated？ Of course you have…but have you been in the office of Madam Chairman Pro Tern when she was using it？〃
〃Why~ yes； several times。 Just yesterday…no； I mean the yesterday before I left； I keep forgetting that I missed transit time。〃
〃What name does she use in speaking with it？〃
~。〃I don't think she uses a name。 I'm fairly certain she does not。〃 '
〃Oh； the poor thing！〃
〃No； Minerva；〃 Lazarus said quietly。 〃You left it in good health； it simply won't wake up until' it has a mistress； or master； who appreciates it。 Which might not be long；〃 he added grimly。
Justin Foote said； 〃Might be any time。 Lazarus； that old；
uh…cancel that。 Arabelle loves the spotlight。 Appears at public meetings； shows up in the Colosseum。 Stands up and wav~ her scarf。 Seems odd； after the quiet way Ira ran things。〃
〃I see。 A sitting duck。 Seven to two she's assassinated in the next fivc years。〃
〃No bet。 I'm a statistician； Lazarus。〃
〃So you are。 All right… Hanky…panky。 Lots of it。 Ishtar set up an auxiliary Howard Clinic in the Palace。 Her excuse：
Me； the Senior。 But a cover…up for a much more extensive bio facility。 Minerva picked her parents； Ishtar stole the tissues and faked some records。 Meanwhile； our skinny friend my daughter Minerva…〃
〃She is not！ She's just right for her height and body type and bio age！〃
〃…and deliciously curved！〃
〃…had twinned her puter self in a hold of my yacht 'Dora；' placing the contract in my name and charging it to me； and nobody dared inquire why the Senior…some advantages to age； especially among ｝J~watds…wanted a huge puter in a yacht that already had one of the fanciest ~ puters in the sky。 While back in my borrowed penthouse where nobody was allowed to go…other than a short list all as… dishonest as I am…a clone was growing in a facility installed in a room I didn't need。
〃es time to' migrate； a very large case containing what was then a very small clone； goes to the skyport marked as part of my personal baggage…this baggage between us； of course…and is loaded into the 'Dora' without inspection； such being a prerogative of being Chairman 。 。 for as you may recall I didn't hand the gavel back to Arabelle until our transports had lifted and I was about to raise ship myself； with Ira and the rest of my personal party aboard。
〃While I'm taking the clone aboard； Minerva withdraws herself from the executive puter and' is safe and snug in a 'hold of the 'Dora' 。 。 with her gizzards packed with every bit of data in the Grand Library and the entire records of ~the Howard Clinic including secret and confidential stuff。 A most satisfying caper； Justin； the most good； clean； illegal fun I've had since we stole the 'New Frontiers。' But I'm telling you this not to boast…or not much…but to ask if we were as slick as we thought we were。 Any rumors？ Did you suspect anything amiss？ How about Arabelle？〃
〃I feel sure that Arabelle does not suspect。 Nor have I
heard of Nelly Hildegarde bursting any blood vessels。 Mmm； I suspected something。〃 …
〃Really。 Where did we slip？〃
〃Hardly the word； Lazarus。 Minerva； when I had occasion to consult you； while Ira was Chairman Pro Tern； how did we talk？〃 …
〃Why； you were always most friendly； Justin。 You always told me why you wanted something instead of just telling me to dig it out。 You would chat； too； you were never too much in a hurry to be pleasant。 That's why I remember you so warmly。〃
〃And that； Lazarus； is wh