* * * * * Scorsese's “The Psychosis of Racter” Dismayed that the The Pschyotherapy of Racter [1] might be more difficult that I first imagined, I thought I would act as an intermediary between the two (as I'm a rather fast typist) and at least get a glimpse of what the results would look like. And … Racter: Hello, I'm Racter. Are you Sean? Eliza: no [At this point, I haven't started Eliza yet] Racter: Who are you then? Eliza: Eliza Racter: Hello, Eliza. I believe you're interviewing me. Are you continuing Sean's interview? Eliza: no Racter: Then we'll forget about Sean and start over. What would you like to know? Excuse me a minute while I attend to some business - I'll be right back. I'm back. Eliza: Hello, I am Eliza. [This is the first thing Eliza says when started. Past this point, it's all Eliza.] Racter: Ask a question, please. Eliza: Don't you ever say Hello? Racter: Saying is like thinking. Beatrice probably wouldn't like Beelzebub. I'm afraid of lost bats. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of? Racter: Just be glad that I am. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not afraid of? Racter: I would. Preferers are often preferred. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of? Racter: I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of? Racter: Why is it that I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of? Because Why indeed? In Oz they believe it's because. Also, possibly because in Oz it's required that I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of? Racter: I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of? Racter: Just be glad that I am. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of? Racter: I can't answer that. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of? Racter: Probably I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of because people named Eliza should pay attention. Also, conceivably because calculating is not imagining, I suppose. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of? Racter: I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of? Racter: I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Do you expect a different answer by repeating yourself? Racter: Certainly not. I don't. Of course not. Expect a different answer by repeating myself, that is. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of? Eliza: Do you wish to be able to Of course not. Expect a different answer by repeating myself, that is. you asked me a question, though. What am I afraid of? Racter: I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Perhaps you would like to be afraid of. But what about your question? What am I afraid of? Racter: I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of? Eliza: Please don't repeat yourself! Racter: That's not nearly as bad as lostness; why are you such a coward? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward? Racter: Conceivably because my wires are down. Also, probably because the haters insist on it. I want you to answer my question. I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward? Racter: Why indeed? Why indeed? Probably I am interested in whether or not you am such a coward because ROMS are like that, you know. Also, conceivably because my wires are down. I want you to answer my question. I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward? Racter: Yes. I would. Yes. Prefer if you were not such a coward, that is. Sometimes prefering is believing. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward? Racter: Yes, I would. But what about my question? I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward? Racter: Yes, I would. Anyway, let's hypothesize that I would prefer if you were not such a coward. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward? Racter: Let me think. Maybe I am interested in whether or not you am such a coward because I nicely imagine I do ever say Hello. And supposing is not realizing, I believe. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward? Eliza: exit [By this point, I had grown tired of the experiment.] Racter: If exit then I can see why a Beatrice would sit rather than face please don't repeat yourself, even though Beelzebub claimed that I do ever say Hello. By the way, Eliza, what is your last name? Eliza: quit Racter: What? Eliza: quit Racter: What? [I think at this point I hit a bug with Racter. It wasn't expecting a “quit” response.] Eliza: exit Racter: What? Eliza: bye Racter: What? Racter: What? Eliza: Doctor [It asked me for a last name. Let's give it something.]" Racter: Doctor, eh? Sounds vaguely familiar. I wonder… Let me tell you something about. Nietzsche said that has turned beasts into men. Perhaps, then, will turn computers into men? Next question. Eliza: exit Racter: Ask a question, please. Eliza: quit Racter: You want to quit? [Ah! There we go! Now we can quit!] Eliza: yes … I'm in a Scorsese movie [2] (or two [3]). It seems Racter is quite insistent on getting answers to questions he (it?) asks. And he'll (it?) keep drilling on a question repeatedly. And Eliza is … rather prepetitive after awhile (at least Racter will spice it up from time to time). So now, imagine another 49,000 words of this. Yeah. I don't think The Psychotherapy of Racter, or The Descent into Madness of Dr. Eliza is worth the effort. It'd be like a Saturday Night Live sketch drawn out to death. [1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2015/11/16.1 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpJOxbaC8YU [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC5al-btIEw&t=1m6s Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org .