the ability to take action or to choose what action to take. AGENCY | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
The Earth has existed for over 4 and a half billion years. When first formed, millions of volcanoes were erupting spewing forth layers upon layers of elements and compounds as described in previous chapters. All of the phenomena described above could have happened thousands of times. And if any of the “machines” reached the level of “consciousness”, life would have existed purely inside the “mind” of one of these computers. Multiple machines may have been able to communicate with each other. What was needed next was the ability to change the environment. Even with their limited view of the world, they would have been able to think about what might be just over the hill, what all the cloud shapes meant (especially those shaped like bunny rabbits), and how to escape from “inside” the computer and change the world.
Inherent within the machine were some abilities to affect the environment. It could modify the voltage output of a logic block. The solar cells that power these devices can be connected together like AA batteries to produce any size voltage. This ability could “zap” a defective part of the computer, heat chemicals surrounding the device, or create a magnetic field capable of moving a piece of iron.
Just a reminder that none of these devices needed a biological organism. Primordial soup – Wikipedia would not be served for lunch for millions of years. The ability to apply the knowledge the machine currently has to solve a problem, Artificial general intelligence – Wikipedia, and to solve new problems, Heuristic – Wikipedia, would allow these devices to expand their influence.
“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into… the Twilight Zone.”
― Rod Serling
