USH'S MATRIX GAME 2006 FOURTH ASSIGNMENT (PHILOSOPHY)- 'The Door'

"But were they not spread much further? Is this not development in the same way as your technology is? Are you saying that advancment is more important in judging the greater society than spreading?"

"And what do you mean by greater society?"

"No," says Lo Qi. "What do you mean?"

"But those cavemen were not under one leadership- they had on centralized government. A comparison to Zion is quite unfair."

"Very well," says Lo Qi. "Compare with the first empire of the Muscovites, in the early centuries of the second millennium, covering much the same area."

"Zion has much greater knowledge and technology, and much greater understanding of the world around us."

"Yes, and you consider that much more important than size? So to advance is more important than to spread?"

"Yes, I believe so. The more advanced societies at the end of 20th century were spreading much slower than before."

"The Matrix is meant to be the pinnacle of mankind; they were superior in technology and knowledge than any other point in mankind's history before the creation of AI. However, mankind at that point in history had spread as much as it could and had nowhere to spread to."

Klez adds this to Melkor's statement, to show his agreement.

"Advancement and spreading personally I would much rather spread. Look at the machines we were just as advanced as them but they were able to spread. In the end for advancement we need space."

"They were only able to spread because they became more advanced," Klez says.

"I am sorry to say that our society is technologically beyond that of Zion," says Lo Qi. "As for your answer, Klez, I believe that is a false conclusion; it implies the more advanced society will spread better and I believe history very much shows that this is not the case. And Berserker, are you really saying you would rather be large and primitive than small and advanced? You sre saying that an ancient medieval Kingdom is more laudable than Zion?"

"I wasn't referring to Zion I was referring to the war we saw in the King's throne room thing. They looked pretty equal there. Anyways I don't really see teh difference between spreading and advanced. Either way there are still wars to be fought. Resources to gather. At least big and primitive you only had to worry about the basics and not having bombs dropped on your head."

"That appears to be avoiding my question. I think your fellows may be surprised to hear that you would not rate Zion above such ancient empires."

"Alright then. Simple are best answers right. Zion may be more tech advanced then those old big powers but in reality it is small, weak, and meek compared to something much larger. Maybe that will change some day but that isn't what is going on today."

"You know guys at least those old big powers like Rome didn't have to worry about being wiped everyday. Hence I would rather be big and primitve then small and advanced. It helps me sleep at night," Berserker jokes at the end.

"That's a false example. You are not making comparable threats. Zion could easily defeat, foe example, the Romans. And the AIs were the smaller society when they defeated Humanity."

"They could have defeated the Romans but then again a black hole could form right inside my head. The fact is that the Romans never had an advanced Zion to face before and if they did the Romans probably would have had the same technology but they would have been bigger."

"As for the A.I. winning. It seemed to me the King's plan on winning was simple. Get as many resources and outlast the humans until they were able to get bigger. In essence they won because they could spread faster then us."

"Hence I would rather be able to spread then be advanced. And in primitive times spreading was easier the bigger you were. Right now Zion can not spread at all despite our technology and the machines despite their best abilities I bet are finding it hard to really spread anymore as well."

"I would prefer technological advancement to spreading," Sirin says. "Despite the fact that we cannot spread, we are still surviving the War adequately and we could beat any other civilization of Mankind from the past."

"You said you were sorry to say that the Machines are more advanced than Zion?" Heph asks. "Were you just using the phrase or...?"

Melkor thinks for a moment.

"I don`t think that winning a war always determines whether the society is advanced. I wouldn`t call the people of Genhis Khan more advanced that all those sophisticated nations they trampled upon, for example.

And technological advancement isn`t the only measure of advancement, what about matters of morality, for example? I would say that modern concept of human rights was as important as greatest technological advancements of humanity."