E20. "Give The Robot The Impossible Job!" by Michael Rook

Philosophy | Ethics Short Story Audiobooks

This audiobook features "Give The Robot The Impossible Job!" by Michael Rook. Published in the March 2021 issue of After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy | Ethics Short Story Magazine.

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STORY SUMMARY (Spoilers): Are there some lessons teachers should not teach, even if they are the thing that the student most needs? Can an “education” go too far? In this work of philosophical fiction, the main character is Quinn, an AI teacher set in the distant future. It, along with other AI teachers, are tasked with educating the most difficult students with the promise of “free study.” Quinn accepts a particularly difficult student, in fact, an “impossible student” named Leticia, a young girl who is showing early, but clear, signs of growing up to be a murderer. Quinn accepts this “impossible job” because the newer AI models are being released and she is at risk of being retired as they replace her model. Quinn decides the only way to jar Leticia out of her current direction is to shame her by supporting, encouraging, and showing her the results of her murderous impulses. At first Leticia appreciates the acceptance of her anti-social behavior, even after seeing the results of death and war. In the end, Leticia changes her mind when a serial killer she admires escapes the training exercise Quinn has put him in and puts her family in real danger. Quinn will be admitted to free study.

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