The Golden Calf and Artificial Intelligence
The Quran mentions the story of the Golden Calf. The story begins with a man called Samiri who incited the people of Israel to give him the gold jewelry they had taken with them during their exodus from Egypt, so that he could build an idol for them to worship. Unfortunately, they obeyed him, and he constructed a golden calf that emitted a mooing sound. Allah says in the Quran:
“And the people of Moses made, after [his departure], from their ornaments a calf — an image having a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to a way [of righteousness]? They took it [for worship], and they were wrongdoers.” [Surah Al-A’raf, 148]
Samiri claimed that he took a handful of dust from the track of the angel Jibril’s (Gabriel’s) horse to build the calf. As described in the Quran:
“[Moses] said, ‘And what is your case, O Samiri?’ He said, ‘I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger [Jibril] and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me.’” [Surah Taha, 95–96]
As a consequence of his sin, Moses (PBUH) told Samiri that he would have no contact with anyone for the rest of his life, and that the Golden Calf would be thrown into the sea in accordance with Allah’s command:
“[Moses] said, ‘Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, “No contact.” And indeed, you have an appointment [in the Hereafter] you will not fail to keep. And look at your “god” to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast.’” [Surah Taha, 97]
Do you think the story of the Golden Calf suggests the concept of mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence, akin to a robotic cow?
I shared my thoughts with ChatGPT, and ChatGPT informed me:
The story of the Golden Calf could be linked to engineering, particularly in the context of ancient technologies, through its construction and the ability to produce sounds.
From an engineering perspective, the calf could be considered a primitive automaton or mechanical device. Ancient civilizations, including those in Egypt, were known to possess a surprising degree of technical knowledge, including the ability to create simple machines and mechanical devices. The sound produced by the calf might have been generated by a hidden mechanism, such as a bellows or a simple wind instrument, embedded within the statue. This would give the illusion that the statue was alive or imbued with supernatural qualities.
The concept of the Golden Calf as a mechanical or engineered object (that made out of metal or gold) ties into the broader history of automata — self-operating machines that have fascinated humans for millennia. While these devices were much simpler than modern robots, they were designed to mimic life, often for religious or ceremonial purposes.
The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could also be linked to the concept of golden cow that produces sound by enabling the robot to simulate lifelike behaviors and respond to its environment in ways that mimic a real cow. AI allows the robot cow to exhibit lifelike behaviors, such as moving in a way that resembles a real cow, responding to stimuli, or performing specific actions based on commands.
In summary, the Golden Calf can be viewed as an early example of an engineered object designed to deceive or impress its audience, combining metallurgy and rudimentary mechanics to create an object of worship that appeared lifelike. And Allah knows the BEST!
