Adventure Quote by Douglas Adams
““You just let the machines get on with the adding up,” warned Majikthise, “and we’ll take care of the eternal verities, thank you very much. You want to check your legal position, you do, mate. Under law the Quest for Ultimate Truth is quite clearly the inalienable prerogative of your working thinkers. Any bloody machine goes and actually finds it and we’re straight out of a job, aren’t we? I mean, what’s the use of our sitting up half the night arguing that there may or may not be a God if this machine only goes and gives you his bleeding phone number the next morning?””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author interview, 1980s
Relying on machines for ultimate truth threatens human purpose; we must guard the role of human reasoning and moral judgment.
In simple terms: Machines may solve problems, but humans must keep meaning and ethics.
Key Takeaway
Preserve human judgment in the age of AI.
Themes
technology
ethics
humanism
Mood
skeptical
thought‑provoking
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legal analysis
- philosophical debate
- AI policy development
Key Concepts
AI
existential risk
knowledge authority
Questions to Reflect On
- What unique value does human reasoning provide?
- How should society balance AI efficiency with ethical oversight?
A Different Perspective
Assumes machines can truly grasp moral truths, which is contested.
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