The Zoku Jewel

‘Volition is a funny thing,’ Zinda says. ‘The jewels don’t just respond to what we want, but what we would want if we were wiser or smarter or knew more. The zoku as a whole tries to extrapolate what you really need, rather than just what you are asking for, and in line with everybody’s volition. I’ll give you an example. Tell me something you really like. A food, or something.’

Mieli hesitates. ‘This is pointless.’

‘Come on. Don’t take it so seriously!’

Mieli sighs. ‘Liquorice. I like liquorice.’

‘Great! So, let’s say I have two boxes, A and B’ – she places two empty cups on the table, upside down – ‘and A has liquorice in it. I know that you really like liquorice and are looking for some. You ask me to open box B. Which box should I open?’

Mieli blinks.

‘See?’ Zinda says.

‘But it’s not the same thing.’

‘Well, it’s harder to compute, for sure. The real extrapolated volition thing is absurdly difficult, PSPACE-hard or something, so usually we take shortcuts, make approximations. Maybe you don’t want to be here, but a future self of yours does.’