2001: A Space Odyssey

Work Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 1968
Writer(s): Stanley Kubrick
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Arthur C. Clarke Clarke
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

from imdb.com When the world is ruled by apes, one particular group discovers a mysterious rectangular monolith near their home, which imparts upon them the knowledge of tool use, and enables them to evolve into men. In the year 2001, a similar monolith is discovered on the moon, and is determined to have come from an area near Jupiter. Astronaut David Bowman, along with four companions, sets off for Jupiter on a spaceship controlled by HAL 9000, a revolutionary computer system that is every bit mankind's equal, and perhaps his superior. When HAL endangers the crew's lives for the sake of the mission, Bowman will have to first overcome the computer, then travel to the birthplace of the monolith, where whatever alien intelligence controls them decides that humanity is ready to take the next evolutionary step... Written by rmlohner

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

It is the year 2001, as envisioned in 1968. Space travel is normal. video phones are common.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: HAL 9000
  • Description of the technology: Hal is a computer that essentially runs a space ship. He monitors the air supply, entrancse, and communications systems, as well as others. He can hear, speak, and see the human astronauts. He essentially is the ship, built into the walls of the ship. The astronauts interact with HAl as if he were a person. They talk to him as if he was a man. They can speak into the air, and he can hear. He initally acts friendly, but then turns malevolent.
  • Nature of task or activity: Everything the astronauts would do on the ship - eat, sleep, hiberante, exercise, fix things within it.
  • Performance of the Technology: At first Hal works great. However, then he kills most of the astronauts. It is unclear exactly why Hal kills them - but clearly he malfunctions. However, if he was programmed to kill them, he succeeds for the most part.
  • Description of creator(s): unknown, although probably American military-industrial complex.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): to advance science, to explore other planets.
  • Description of users of technology: The astronauts are all white and male, generically attractive, in their 20s and 30s.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: the experience is fine, until HAl decides to kill the humans. While the majority of the astronauts are hibernating during the long trip, he alters their air supply, asphyixating them. He then kills another astronaut in space. He then tries to killl the last astronaut, Dave. However, Dave sucessfully shuts down Hal. So, the presence experience ends by being quite unpleasent.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: yes.
  • Valence of experience: pleasant at first, unpleasant later.
  • Specific responses: The astornauts depend upon Hal, relying on him for the very air they breathe. They develop a parasocial relationship with Hal.
Long-term consequences:

Well, Dave shuts down Hal. He survives the trip to Jupiter, alone, then ends up traveling through space and time through many dimensions, eventually witnessing his own death, and being reborn as a starchild. So....its a bittersweet ending. He will never return to Earth as himself, but gained much knowledge.

Other:

Hal is a quintessential piece of technology that turns evil. He is a prototype that many technologies later emulated. Or rather, the writers emulated.

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple Unversity