"Indeed. In Human society, there is typically an endless supply of new people coming that pick up new skills and fit new and changed jobs." he points at this two stick figures. "The child replaces the parent. The older people who are now of lesser or no use die eventually anyway, so there is no issue to society. Even if new ideas were not coming, people would still have to be replaced. If you have to replace, you may as well replace with something better, yes?
"This is indeed harsh logic, but then death is harsh, and from the point of view of society it works well.
"Now, Melkor, we can look at what you mentioned. How does this process differ for Machines?"
"Machines don`t die of natural causes. So even if their skills are not needed any longer, there isn`t a natural way for them to leave the society. How does Machine with specific purpose feel when he is replaced by newer one, better in fullfilling the same purpose? Sennacherib felt that his replacement was inferior- but after the war new General could serve the needs of Machine society better, right?"
"A lot of this depends on your definition of 'natural', of course. Many would maintain that machines, being artificial, are entirely unnatural. But Machines do sometimes break down and fail in a way very analagous to natural human death. Nontheless, the important point is indeed that Machines do not have the same concept of a natural lifespan as Humans do; the theoretical lifespan of one of us has not really been calculated, if such a concept is even relevant.
"Now, you have raised several important points there, and you have witnessed many lessons that talk of this point. Let me make sure everything is spelled out step by step first. We have first dealt with the issue of mortality. But as you also said earlier, Melkor, in latetr societities there is an issue of education, of re-training. But this differs also for Machines, does it not?"
"Human being has capability to learn almost everything if properly educated. Human child can be raised to to take almost any job upon adulthood- of course some people are more gifted at certain areas, but anyone can do almost anything at certain minimal level of efficiency. Now, with Machines, they are created with purpose in mind. It is very difficult for Machine to change the taks he was created for... much more difficult than for humans to change their job, I think."
"I agree with Berserker. If a Machine has a purpose in the Machine society, then it will live out its life, performing its task. However, if it becomes outdated or breaks down, it is replaced by new Machines, and the old ones are deleted or Exiled. Those deleted or Exiled will most likely look down on their replacements, if Sennacherib's attitude holds true for others in his position, while the new Machine performs its task until it needs to be replaced, and the cycle continues. Maybe it somewhat resembles generations?"
"I mostly agree with others. It seems that Machine society is fundamentally more limiting in regards to the freedom of individual that human society, at least one I consider advanced. Machine has to fulfill particular purpose, and its existance is based upon it. It cannot change its purpose, like humans can, and if it is unable to fullfill its purpose in a way to satisfy the needs of society as System deems it necessary, it has to be removed from the society. I cannot accept such attitude towards sentient beings- not only it is cruel, but may not allow them to develop in a way invidual Machine might have been able to develop on its own."
For my opinion...
"It sounds like, in order for Machine society to progress like a human society, a generation of Machines has to voluntarily allow themselves to be shut down. If I'm alive at all, I'd say that society has trouble progressing because not everyone is going to agree with being deleted."