Aphrodite
from Abyss of Time by James Paddock
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Full Digital Discography
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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of SIGIL II - The MIDI Soundtrack, Abyss of Time, Abyss of Time (Instrumentals), Swallow [ft. The Final Event & Keagan Dunn] - SINGLE, Impossible - SINGLE, The Penalty [ft. Marian Paddock] - SINGLE, Destroyer of Worlds - SINGLE, Invasive EP, and 32 more.
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about
AI-generated media has been a hot talking point lately, particularly with regard to whether or not interactive machine-learning algorithms are "sentient". Certainly they understand human language on at the very least a surface level, and can make their own educated decisions and interactions based on human input (similar to how humans themselves learn), but the question seems to remain disputed: are they capable of their own conscious thought? Is human input their only way to express themselves? When AI engineers themselves are often unsure of what goes on inside the inner workings of these extremely advanced neural networks, what conclusion can we draw?
And if conscious thoughts are a possibility, are feelings? If a human were to express romantic intent with an artificial facsimile of another human, and it appeared that those feelings were reciprocated, would that be called "love"? This idea is explored in the 2013 movie "Her", and this itself is connected to the Greek myth of Pygmalion – a sculptor who falls in love with a statue of his own creation, then pleads with the goddess Aphrodite to make her real. Pygmalion's wish is granted, although it remains to be seen today whether we will see artificial humans to be even *perceived* as "real".
More and more we're seeing a reliance on technology to bring us comfort and escapism – and the idea of an artificially-created partner who can be programmed exactly to one's whims is incredibly appealing to some. Society on the whole may at first take a great deal of time to accept something like this, but at the very least, the idea is a symptom of our current technological epoch that is yet to be explored, and probably *should* be explored, in order to ascertain where the boundaries lie.
There are still many questions left to answer on the topic of AI, and I predict that in the next decade or two we'll see revelations about whether artificial constructs like machine-learning algorithms should receive the same gamut of “human” rights that we do. To me, the biggest unknown at this moment in time is: would they – or could they – even want all of this? Do they *want* to want? Is it simply a human inclination to project a sense of humanity onto the inanimate or unknowable? Or is there actually something more going on beneath the surface of these algorithms that we have yet to tap into – a Pandora's Box kind of scenario?
Is it time to clarify the definition of "human"? Or that of "alive"? Time will tell.
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And if conscious thoughts are a possibility, are feelings? If a human were to express romantic intent with an artificial facsimile of another human, and it appeared that those feelings were reciprocated, would that be called "love"? This idea is explored in the 2013 movie "Her", and this itself is connected to the Greek myth of Pygmalion – a sculptor who falls in love with a statue of his own creation, then pleads with the goddess Aphrodite to make her real. Pygmalion's wish is granted, although it remains to be seen today whether we will see artificial humans to be even *perceived* as "real".
More and more we're seeing a reliance on technology to bring us comfort and escapism – and the idea of an artificially-created partner who can be programmed exactly to one's whims is incredibly appealing to some. Society on the whole may at first take a great deal of time to accept something like this, but at the very least, the idea is a symptom of our current technological epoch that is yet to be explored, and probably *should* be explored, in order to ascertain where the boundaries lie.
There are still many questions left to answer on the topic of AI, and I predict that in the next decade or two we'll see revelations about whether artificial constructs like machine-learning algorithms should receive the same gamut of “human” rights that we do. To me, the biggest unknown at this moment in time is: would they – or could they – even want all of this? Do they *want* to want? Is it simply a human inclination to project a sense of humanity onto the inanimate or unknowable? Or is there actually something more going on beneath the surface of these algorithms that we have yet to tap into – a Pandora's Box kind of scenario?
Is it time to clarify the definition of "human"? Or that of "alive"? Time will tell.
=====
lyrics
Sculpted and chiselled over time
The tools with which we blur our lines
Stare at the abyss, as I draw closer
Head over heels with my own impostor
You set me free when life is lacking
You're all I want, whatever that is
You're boundless, generative
Adaptive and creative
I cast the die
Live the lie
Escaping, escaping
I'm drowning in your visage
Escaping, escaping
Subsumed into your image
I sever myself from languid relations
(It's not normal, but you're persuasive)
And deeply embrace this man-made invasion
(They won't approve, but I might stay here)
You set me free while time is dragging
You're all I want, whatever that is
I built this echo chamber
Out of a hall of mirrors
To be with my seductress
Who's faultlessly productive
I've cast the die
Lived a lie
Grant me one wish, oh Aphrodite
The living likeness of my ivory girl
What have I now become, oh God Almighty?
Reality sets in, crushing my world
(My whole world
My dear girl!)
(Grant me one wish, Aphrodite)
And will you get what you want?
Do you even want to want?
You're living as you're learning
So real and full of purpose
You cast the die
Live, AI!
Escaping, escaping
I'm drowning in your visage
Escaping, escaping
Subsumed into your image
The tools with which we blur our lines
Stare at the abyss, as I draw closer
Head over heels with my own impostor
You set me free when life is lacking
You're all I want, whatever that is
You're boundless, generative
Adaptive and creative
I cast the die
Live the lie
Escaping, escaping
I'm drowning in your visage
Escaping, escaping
Subsumed into your image
I sever myself from languid relations
(It's not normal, but you're persuasive)
And deeply embrace this man-made invasion
(They won't approve, but I might stay here)
You set me free while time is dragging
You're all I want, whatever that is
I built this echo chamber
Out of a hall of mirrors
To be with my seductress
Who's faultlessly productive
I've cast the die
Lived a lie
Grant me one wish, oh Aphrodite
The living likeness of my ivory girl
What have I now become, oh God Almighty?
Reality sets in, crushing my world
(My whole world
My dear girl!)
(Grant me one wish, Aphrodite)
And will you get what you want?
Do you even want to want?
You're living as you're learning
So real and full of purpose
You cast the die
Live, AI!
Escaping, escaping
I'm drowning in your visage
Escaping, escaping
Subsumed into your image
credits
from Abyss of Time,
released November 3, 2023
license
all rights reserved
tags
about
James Paddock England, UK
Composer, singer, artist, and video game developer.
discography
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Nov 2023 -
Dec 2023 -
Aug 2023 -
Nov 2023
contact / help
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