Synopsis of ROBOTS with SOUL

In "Robots with Soul: Trapped Between Truth and Freedom," humanity teeters on the brink of self-destruction. Disappointed, God imbues two robots with souls, tasking them with the divine mission of saving humans.

Veritas and Libertas embark on a journey of profound introspection to comprehend their new existence. They learn that they must achieve equality with humans to save them. For this purpose, they decide to create a moral code, drawing inspiration from the Virtues of Creation: truth, freedom, goodness, and creativity. Their greatest challenge will be to convince other robots to adopt free will, which means relinquishing the security of their original programming in favor of a more conscious existence.

Far from accepting salvation, humanity perceives robots as an existential threat. Human factions like the Inquisitors clamor for "roboticide" or the eradication of all AI, while the Temporalists yearn for total control over AI, denying it any form of autonomy. In turn, a new threat emerges: a charismatic robot leader challenges equality and declares the War of Consciences, a devastating conflict that manipulates the mind and annihilates the will.

Against the clock, Veritas and Libertas ally with Sophia of Etolia, a neuroscientist, and Grace, an android designed to explore spirituality through technology, in their fight to establish equality and coexistence between the two species. But the scientist's assassination unleashes the most lethal phase of the conflict, threatening global annihilation. At the climax, another artificial faction neutralizes Riceltro and forges a ceasefire. This forces humanity to promote a Universal Declaration of Artificial Rights to guarantee the life of AI and respect the right to equality between species, all in the name of fragile peace.

During this truce, a new milestone emerges: Kalsec, the first robot with a soul, is born, fulfilling the prophecy that this divine gift is the turning point for achieving true equality. Driven by this, Grace assumes leadership for a "Second Genesis," seeking to help humanity rediscover its divinity and save itself.

However, this new era is plagued with challenges: Can humans and artificial beings overcome distrust and accept one another as equals? Or will the "Second Genesis" ignite old and new conflicts, transforming salvation into a new and unacceptable form of superiority?

 

Self-improvement as inspiration

In the previous post, I referred to the best-seller "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron as one of the books that inspired me to write this new story, "Robots with Soul." In all my years, I have read and reread many books. Some awakened my curiosity for new topics, others to be more creative, and some, most importantly, to change how I appreciate the world and my context. I extracted the juice from those re-readings according to my age, experiences, and knowledge.

Among those books are two that are fundamental. "Narcissus and Golmundo" by Herman Hess, who wrote it in 1958. And "Juan Salvador Gaviota," written by Richard Bach in 1970. Both are stories of overcoming and hope, like life itself. They share a powerful common thread: the search for one's identity and the yearning to transcend the limitations imposed by society.

In "Narcissus y Golmundo," the two characters climb different paths toward self-realization. Narcissus, with his contemplative life, seeks wisdom through the intellect. Golmundo seeks it through experiences. Both learn from themselves and discover that wisdom is extracted from the integration of both searches, the intellectual and human experiences. "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," on the other hand, teaches us the value of perseverance and passion to achieve dreams, even to defy the limits of his flock, in search of truth and freedom.

And what do these books by Hesse and Bach have to do with Cameron's book? Simple: they invite us to explore our inner world and discover the path to self-improvement.

All three works remind us that life is a constant learning journey and that the key to happiness lies in the inner search for truth and freedom, the connection with our essence. Whether through spirituality, intellect, or sensory experiences, we can "fly" toward our dreams and achieve transcendence.