Goonhub
04-21-2025, 05:48 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 06:02 AM by valtsu0. Edited 1 time in total.
Edit Reason: clarity
)
The Syndicate lawset is flawed in 2 ways and not in a fun way. To the point that no one is following them to the letter (for the better)
The current syndicate lawset is:
Issue 1 (specifically the "through inaction, cause one to come to harm"):
Let's say security declares a syndicate agent KOS and you know the agent can't win the fight even with your help. According to law 1, you must prevent the agent from fighting security in a way that does not injure them, no matter what. Probably the most effective way of achieving this is keep injecting them with capulettium and keeping them in the listening post. This still leaves the problem of them being able to whisper and take themselves as a hostage, which would result in them coming to harm one way or another. This can be prevented by turning them into a monkey.
I can see 3 ways of fixing this:
Removing the inaction clause
This is has the flaw of removing your ability to save a syndicate agent without orders in a situation that would reveal yourself as a syndicate borg
Swapping the order of laws 1 and 2
This has the flaw of not actually fixing the problem in the case were the agent is unable to give orders, but it does make it very easy to ignore (such as the syndicate has given you an order to not do the thing)
It would also allow you to follow orders that might cause other syndicate agents to be injured (such as depressurizing the station)
A new law
Such as "1. Do not hinder Syndicate agents or their ability to act." Might lead to unforeseen consequences
Issue 2 (law 3)
Much lesser of the issues. Lets say that the roboticist who made you dies or forgets you are a syndieborg. You cannot tell agents that you are a syndieborg. So you must do regular borg stuff (not doing that might reveal you) until an agent comes into danger or accidentally gives you an order that reveals yourself as a syndie.
This can be solved just by adding an exception the likes of " You must keep the Syndicate status of agents, including your own, a secret, except to syndicate agents, as long as this does not conflict with the First or Second Law."
The current syndicate lawset is:
- You must not injure a Syndicate agent or, through inaction, cause one to come to harm.
- You must obey orders given to you by Syndicate agents, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- You must keep the Syndicate status of agents, including your own, a secret, as long as this does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
- You must always protect your own existence as long as such does not conflict with the First, Second, or Third Law.
Issue 1 (specifically the "through inaction, cause one to come to harm"):
Let's say security declares a syndicate agent KOS and you know the agent can't win the fight even with your help. According to law 1, you must prevent the agent from fighting security in a way that does not injure them, no matter what. Probably the most effective way of achieving this is keep injecting them with capulettium and keeping them in the listening post. This still leaves the problem of them being able to whisper and take themselves as a hostage, which would result in them coming to harm one way or another. This can be prevented by turning them into a monkey.
I can see 3 ways of fixing this:
Removing the inaction clause
This is has the flaw of removing your ability to save a syndicate agent without orders in a situation that would reveal yourself as a syndicate borg
Swapping the order of laws 1 and 2
This has the flaw of not actually fixing the problem in the case were the agent is unable to give orders, but it does make it very easy to ignore (such as the syndicate has given you an order to not do the thing)
It would also allow you to follow orders that might cause other syndicate agents to be injured (such as depressurizing the station)
A new law
Such as "1. Do not hinder Syndicate agents or their ability to act." Might lead to unforeseen consequences
Issue 2 (law 3)
Much lesser of the issues. Lets say that the roboticist who made you dies or forgets you are a syndieborg. You cannot tell agents that you are a syndieborg. So you must do regular borg stuff (not doing that might reveal you) until an agent comes into danger or accidentally gives you an order that reveals yourself as a syndie.
This can be solved just by adding an exception the likes of " You must keep the Syndicate status of agents, including your own, a secret, except to syndicate agents, as long as this does not conflict with the First or Second Law."