![]() The fact that the end of the world and discovery are etymologically linked points to how the human appetite for knowledge can never truly be satisfied that there will always be unanswered questions as long as this universe exists. ![]() Indeed, according to Merriam-Webster, the word “apocalypse” originates from a Greek word meaning “to uncover,” and the way the universe ends has long been a subject of speculation. “Is there anything that we associate more closely with intelligence than curiosity? Every intelligent species on Earth is attracted by the unknown…Even the word ‘apocalypse’… Even the word ‘apocalypse’ means ‘revelation.’ It seems like our ancestors always imagined that even at the very end, we would solve one last mystery.”ĭrennan begins by claiming that the trait most closely associated with intelligence is curiosity that curiosity is a common characteristic uniting all intelligent species. To convey this, the game scatters various time capsules throughout the map, which are audio recordings made by a presumably dead scientist named Alexandra Drennan. The first main point The Talos Principle makes is that our intense curiosity is the key element differentiating the human race from all other species. If the researchers want their project to succeed, then they must clearly define the essential qualities of a human. What are the essential traits of humanity? How can these traits be carried into the future after humans as a species have long ceased to exist? And why is humanity worth preserving in the first place? The game’s main points can be interpreted as a “what,” “how,” and “why” for this hypothetical yet very real project. It then awakens from the simulation and comes forth unto a barren planet. It must prove its worthiness, that it has acquired humanity, by solving the puzzles scattered throughout the game space. ![]() The player character is that machine, placed in a simulated world created by the scientists. The last survivors of society had formed the Institute of Applied Noematics (“noema” coming from the Greek word for “thought”) to collaborate on the Extended Lifespan Project, an immense research initiative with the purpose of preserving the human spirit in machine form. The premise of the story is that a pandemic had wiped out the human race. To answer this question, The Talos Principle embeds memorialized textual and audio artifacts within a unique narrative to provide commentary on the intrinsic nature of humanity to the protagonist. What makes us human? This widely debated question, whose answer is connected to far-reaching implications ranging from science to philosophy, is what forms the core of the 2014 video game The Talos Principle by Croteam, in which the player navigates through mind-bending puzzles while attempting to uncover the truth of the strange and contradictory world they awaken in. Human Qualities, Identity, and Value in The Talos Principle I hope it will do a little bit of the same for you. In doing so, I found myself reflecting a lot about life, identity, hope, and the human condition. I wrote my midterm on the theme of The Talos Principle. ![]() In my last semester of high school, I had the privilege of taking ENGL 4680: Game Narratives as Literature with Dr. Reflections on the meaning of The Talos Principle March 19, 2021 Reflections on the meaning of The Talos Principle | Daniel Ting
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