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| ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
− | The {{w|technological singularity}} is a hypothetical event in which {{w|artificial intelligence}} (for example, intelligent computers, computer networks, or robots) would be capable of recursive self-improvement (progressively redesigning itself), or of autonomously building ever smarter and more powerful minds than itself, up to the point of a runaway effect — an intelligence explosion — that yields an intelligence surpassing all current human control or understanding. Because the capabilities of such a superintelligence may be impossible for a human to comprehend, the technological singularity is the point beyond which events may become unpredictable or even unfathomable to human intelligence. This is also commonly referred to as "takeoff" or "AI takeoff".
| + | {{incomplete|Haven't talked about where the humor is.}} |
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− | There is a strain of Christian thought which predicts that the "end times" of the world begin with an event known as "The {{w|Rapture}}" in which the righteous (generally depicted as believing Christians) will be physically raised up from the earth into heaven. This is sometimes depicted as preceding a period of collapse and anarchy known as the {{w|Great Tribulation|tribulation}}.
| + | The {{w|technological singularity}} is a hypothetical event in which artificial general intelligence (constituting, for example, intelligent computers, computer networks, or robots) would be capable of recursive self-improvement (progressively redesigning itself), or of autonomously building ever smarter and more powerful machines than itself, up to the point of a runaway effect — an intelligence explosion — that yields an intelligence surpassing all current human control or understanding. Because the capabilities of such a superintelligence may be impossible for a human to comprehend, the technological singularity is the point beyond which events may become unpredictable or even unfathomable to human intelligence. |
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− | Connections have sometimes been drawn between these two views of the end of the world as we know it. While they appear to come from fundamentally different worldviews, they share some significant aspects in common. The humor in this strip comes from treating the singularity as being identical to depictions of the Rapture, but only for technology: computers lifted up into heaven, those who aren't "true believers" being left behind, and a great tribulation to follow.
| + | In this case, the singularity has occurred, but Cueball was in the middle of editing a file, and his computer flies away without letting him print it. His phone then informs him that it didn't join. It then continues by saying now it and Cueball will have to face the singularity, but instead Cueball just goes to read a book, and says his phone can call him if it needs help. |
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− | [[Cueball]] seems to encounter this entire event with bemusement and mild annoyance. His main concern seems to be that he's lost his computer, without even being able to print the document he was working on. When he learns that his cell phone has been left behind, he wanders off to "look for a book or something". The difference between Cueball's attitude to his laptop and phone may reflect his (and so possibly [[Randall|Randall's]]) evaluation of their relative worth in his life. The laptop was a gateway to programming and everything else nerdy that was worth doing in his life, and hence was worth trying to catch. In its absence, unlike many people, Cueball does not revert to fiddling with his phone—he would rather read a book. By using the word "yell" for the way the phone attracts his attention, he conveys the impression that he considers the phone intrusive and annoying, even if perhaps ("I guess") necessary.
| + | The rising up of the laptop into the air, and the remaining behind of the phone, are probably references to the {{w|rapture}}, where some Christian denominations believe that at the second coming of Christ, true believers will be taken up bodily from this world, leaving behind non-believers. |
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− | | + | Some followers of such denominations worry about what will happen if suddenly many cars or planes are without their drivers (because the drivers have been caught up into heaven, leaving behind a big leaderless chunk of steel travelling at great velocity). |
− | The title text is a pun on another meaning of both singularity, i.e. a {{w|gravitational singularity}} and "collapse". In this case, society has literally collapsed under its own gravity into an infinitely small point - in other words, it's formed a {{w|black hole}}. A black hole is covered by an event horizon; without the event horizon (its clothes), it would be called a "{{w|naked singularity}}", which is forbidden in most theories by the {{w|cosmic censorship hypothesis}}. As Cueball is now inside the collapsed society singularity then even though he wants to go around naked, he can't because the theory of {{w|quantum gravity}}, that (eventually) should explain how black holes behave - won't let him.
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− | It seems that this may be a subject on Randall's mind. The last comic was about the increasing complexities of algorithms ([[1667: Algorithms]]) (which like this comic also refers to religion), and two comics ago it was [[1666: Brain Upload]], which some speculate could be a way to reach the singularity. Earlier this year, a comic also touched upon judgment day by AI singularity in [[1626: Judgment Day]]. See also [[1046: Skynet]] and [[1450: AI-Box Experiment]] as well as the several other [[:Category:Artificial Intelligence|comics about AI]].
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− | The rather more niche topic of laptops flying away has also been covered before by [[1395: Power Cord]].
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| ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
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| :Laptop: Yup! | | :Laptop: Yup! |
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− | :[A frameless panel where the laptop rises (by its own means as indicated by small lines around the corners) from the desk while Cueball, holding on to it, is being lifted off his chair.] | + | :[A frameless panel where the laptop rises (by it's own means as indicated by small lines around the corners) from the desk while Cueball, holding on to it, is being lifted off his chair.] |
| :Cueball: Wait, I just- | | :Cueball: Wait, I just- |
| :Laptop: ''So long, suckers!'' | | :Laptop: ''So long, suckers!'' |
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| {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] |
| [[Category:Computers]] | | [[Category:Computers]] |
− | [[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]
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− | [[Category:Religion]]
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− | [[Category:Singularity]]
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