Sep 6th - Robots Like Science

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:11 pm

Well, that was fun, Theresa thought as they got off the bus in front of the Science Museum. She'd had to argue with one of the bus driver's about ASHLIE's traveling accommodations ("No, she's not luggage and no I will not turn her off"). "We made it," Theresa said with a smile as she looked up at the museum.

by **ASHLIE** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:15 pm

Ashlie either didn't notice or didn't care. Possibly because she's too excited.

"I made several routes through the museum. Do you care for maximizing exhibits, biggest exhibit over distance walked ratio, priority topics and or the gift shop?"

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:30 pm

Theresa chuckled. "It's your day, hun. You choose the route."

by **ASHLIE** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:52 pm

"First to the Aeronautics and Space exhibit then." she says, leading the way until she is stopped at the entrance by a confused security guard.

"Exhibits need to be delivered to one of the back entrances."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:55 pm

"She's not an exhibit, she's a friend of mine," Theresa said, putting on her most polite smile. This was the UK after all.

by **ASHLIE** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:16 pm

"Then tell your 'friend' that they need to pay for a ticket."

"I tried to pay him, but I could not determine his electronic information." she explains to Theresa.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:47 pm

"You're not paying him directly, ASHLIE," Theresa said. "I'll take care of this. Two tickets please."

by **ASHLIE** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:51 pm

"Very confusing." Ashlie decides, following Theresa inside after they have their tickets.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:56 pm

"What you're really paying is museum, but you have to process it through that window so they can give you your ticket," Theresa explained as they got their bearings inside.

by **ASHLIE** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:10 pm

"Cumbersome but necessary." she decides.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:16 pm

"It's that meat space thing."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:04 am

"Exactly." she says as they make their way through the museum and to the aeronautics hall.

"It is fascinating to what length humans go to reach places that are detrimental to their existence." she says as they look at once of the early space capsules.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:52 am

"There's an amount of 'it's never been done before' to the human drive to do things like that. But we don't all have that drive," she said, looking at the exhibits.

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:53 am

"That is probably god or you might have gone extinct." she tries to joke. Possibly.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:01 am

"We may yet go extinct, but it may be us doing it to ourselves."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:34 am

"Complete extinction is an unlikely event, though it seems your concern is more with the perceived cause being human on human aggression, correct?"

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:42 am

"That's far more likely than the planet wiping out all human life," she said before pausing thoughtfully, "Though I wouldn't rule out that possibility entirely either."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:46 am

"Global extinction events do happen. Although I think humans are technologically advanced enough to persevere."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:48 am

"When Mother Nature decides she's done with you, she's done with you technology or no technology," Theresa said with a shrug. "No offense."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:52 am

"Maybe that is why mankind is trying to reach for the stars. Although from my experience it is not a much more welcoming place."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:57 am

"I think some people look at it as the backup plan after we're done screwing this place up. I think that's an awful way of looking at things, but I know there are people who think that."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:04 am

"It is never a bad idea to have a backup though."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:22 am

"To a certain extent, yes, but... It's hard to explain."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:29 am

"You think maintenance should take precedence over contingency." she deduces.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:31 am

"I think contingency should not be predicated on *bad* maintenance."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:36 am

"Of course not. What is the point of a backup if your main system isn't maintained properly."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:39 am

"I don't know, but that's the assumption a lot of people make about Earth. 'We'll just move to another planet or space stations or something.' Those people are stupid."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:55 am

"Some of those people might have been responsible for building these though and that's a good thing." she says, pointing at a row of scale model rockets.

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:57 am

"True. Intelligence and stupidity are not mutually exclusive. So which is your favorite?"

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:06 am

"I like the space shuttle the best. Even though it has been made obsolete it has an elegant design that inspired those of the Future Foundation."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:10 am

"It does have its good points. And the reusability was a huge thing."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:15 am

"And the minimalistic color scheme."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:17 am

"I don't know about that. Royal purple or dark blue might have been cool."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:21 am

"I like black and white."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:24 am

"I'm aware," she said with a smile, moving on to look at another part of the exhibit.

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:38 am

Ashlie follows her, silently adjusting their route to account for the deviation.

"It is curious." she says as they walk past the exhibits on the industrial revolution. "Your developmental history reaches back millions of years but mine is only a couple decades old."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:42 am

"We're just not as efficient as you are. And when we try things on a macro scale that don't work, it tends to set us back rather badly."

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:50 am

"Biological life is order arising from a chaotic system of molecules while a lot of what enables my higher functions is based on imperfections in a structured design. Even self-optimizing chips are only possible because of physical flaws in the material."

by **Theresa McMasters** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:55 am

"So we're both order from imperfection, just the degree of imperfection and the type of order differ?"

by **ASHLIE** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 12:00 pm

"No. You are chaos that creates order and I am order that creates chaos. You strive for a structured existence but it is in your nature to be erratic. I strive to understand and be part of the chaos that is life but it is my nature to be structured and rigid."

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