# "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep/75939>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 12, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep/75939 "2001-08-12T21:22:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep/75939/21 "2001-08-17T14:55:04Z")

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kaylasdad99:

> [@](#):
>
> That’s also the weakness I see in dalovindj’s PanSpermia example. I don’t think the “seeding” species would be likely to program an evolutionary end point into the bacteria they send out. It seems to me that even if it could be accomplished, it would run counter to the intention of sending the bacteria in the first place: (presumably) to have the bacteria enter as many environments friendly to evolutionary development as possible, and let them develop as far as the environments and their abilities to adapt (and to modify the environment) will allow.

Unless they wanted to create life that would be guaranteed to evolve into creatures (evolutures) like themselves that would someday be able to master technology and such. The reason for the goal oriented evolution would be to create beings that they can relate too and communicate with eventually. To spread themselves across the Universe. But it could go either way and that’s the point. It could have been done. I hope we find out someday for sure.

Phlosphr:

> [@](#):
>
> Huh? What are you trying to say here?  
> Are you postulating that we can not make something from nothing? Or are you saying that we cannot take synthetic materials and get a living being?

We cannot take any materials that are not alive and make them live. This was stated to illustrate that we don’t know the origins of evolution (yet), so guided evolution is a possibility. (Not the topic of the OP but in response to another post by adam yax).

> [@](#):
>
> What would/could an android ever hope to evolve into?

How about a God (able to create or manipulate energy and matter in any way that he/she/it sees fit with a simple thought as well as a total knowledge of where everything came from/how it got there)?

This hope is not limited to AI.

DaLovin’ Dj

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep/75939/22 "2001-08-17T15:14:05Z")

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I still don’t think that guided evolution is possible. However, since it only marginally is related to the OP, would anybody object to my starting a new thread in GD about the concept of guided evolution/intelligent design?

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**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep/75939/23 "2001-08-17T15:36:23Z")

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adam yax:

Go for it! That sounds like a fun one.

Dalovin’Dj

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