Böcker av Jim Arbery

Let us hope that humankind has not invented a Frankenstein that goes by the name of Artificial Intelligence.After all, the useful application of atomic energy is a helpful thing; the atomic bomb is something else...The pixies, although finding themselves in the distant past, brought about by the mismanagement of Artificial Intelligence, come to realise that the problems of yesteryear have, sadly, been repeated in the world from which they have been forcefully ejected.They discover that in the past, pickpockets are much the same as the modern-day variety; that bullies are still a threat, be it an individual or a group; that the ways and means of the confidence trickster haven't really changed, playing on the greed of individuals; and, thankfully, that humour and kindness can lighten many dark corners in the life of humanity.The pixies' most important realisation are incidents from the past, for reasons that are really unknown, have been changed for modern day consumption; then in their own inimitable way, either by accident or design, attempt, with some success, to right the wrongs of days gone by.

The threat to humankind is not from artificial intelligence. The danger, for us all, comes from human intelligence, and the belief that we know best. When a stone falls down a well and there is no sound, we assume there must be an answer to that puzzle worth knowing about. Why is there no sound, do you think? And does it really matter? Just asking...

A story of, how at times, people shoot themselves in the foot, metaphorically speaking, only to wonder who inflicted the wound. Then, wouldn't you know it, along comes help from an unusual quarter... But, of course, many things can happen in a quasi-world. You never know who your neighbours are these days, but you always know when there's something odd about them. Funny that...