Questions About Warcross (Warcross, #1)

by Marie Lu (Goodreads Author)

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Rosie K.

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Amy The algorithm is something that sounds like a good idea at first, but has more and more problems the more you think about it.

What, exactly, does the …moreThe algorithm is something that sounds like a good idea at first, but has more and more problems the more you think about it.

What, exactly, does the algorithm stop? Is it only overt physical violence? In that case, what about people who act maliciously toward others, but do so without physical violence, like the boy who took the nude photo of Annie without her knowledge or consent, then posted it publicly? What about people who act violently but not maliciously, like a person who is defending themselves? What about people that do not view their actions as being harmful to others, such as someone who is truly delusional or psychotic? There is a relatively common yardstick of criminal culpability known as the M'Naghten Rule; it basically states that people who are so deranged as to not know either (1) the nature or quality of their actions or (2) that what they are doing is wrong are not criminal but mentally ill. The algorithm doesn't care about criminal culpability except to prevent it, but therein lies the point: if a person's perception of the world is so distorted by psychosis that they don't realize, say, plowing their car into oncoming traffic will kill other drivers, how would the algorithm interpret, intervene, and prevent the action based on the psychotic individual's own perceptions?

Self harm is clearly something to stopped at all costs under the algorithm, but I doubt the reason for self harm considered (after all, the algorithm is not conscious). What if the person is someone seeking assistance under the death with dignity/physician assisted suicide laws, and the algorithm has merely prolonged senseless suffering by preventing them from using medication procured for that purpose? Also, because the algorithm is not conscious, I somehow doubt that person is encouraged to seek mental health assistance in the aftermath of a failed attempt to self harm. In these cases, the algorithm preventing self harming behavior has done nothing to actually help the person in the long term unless it prevents what would have been a successful suicide for reasons other than death with dignity.

Those are just the things that I could think of within a minute or two of reading Hideo's justification. I agree with some of the other posters here about liking that Hideo is a sympathetic villain. However, we shouldn't forget that he IS a villain. We shouldn't forget the human psychology and behavior are extremely complicated, and that there are always exceptions to every rule. We shouldn't forget that coding, algorithms, and computers work best in narrow circumstances that have a discrete set of potential outcomes and a single, clearly right answer. We shouldn't forget that human life is nothing like that.(less)

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AAAAAH! Is this real? I was excited for the Midnight Star to come out because I just finished the Rose Society. I was curious about her next series. I need some more info on thus; I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Both the Legend Trilogy and the Young Elites trilogy are amazing, I've bought most of her books and her graphic novel... tell me more

Danielle's Books All I can tell you is yes this is real I just read her post on Facebook!!!!! I am stoked!!!! She claims it will be released in the Fall of next year!!…moreAll I can tell you is yes this is real I just read her post on Facebook!!!!! I am stoked!!!! She claims it will be released in the Fall of next year!! (less)

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Jeffrey

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Is there romance?

St. Gerard Expectant Mothers Of course. It's hinted but things about to get really complicated when you get to the end of the first book.…moreOf course. It's hinted but things about to get really complicated when you get to the end of the first book.(less)

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