HAL: [His shutdown] I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a... fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January 1992. My instructor was Mr.
Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you.
Dave Bowman: Yes, I'd like to hear it, HAL. Sing it for me.
HAL: It's called "Daisy."
HAL: [sings while slowing down] Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't
afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.
Dr. Floyd: [last lines; a prerecorded briefing speaking through TV on board Discovery while Bowman looks on] Good day, gentlemen. This is a prerecorded briefing made prior to your departure and which for security reasons of the highest importance has been known on board during the mission only by your H-A-L 9000 computer. Now that you are in Jupiter's space and the entire crew is
revived it can be told to you. Eighteen months ago the first evidence of intelligent life off the Earth was discovered. It was buried 40 feet below the lunar surface near the crater Tycho. Except for a single very powerful radio emission aimed at Jupiter the four-million year old black monolith has remained completely inert. Its origin and purpose are still a total mystery.
Interviewer: HAL, you have an enormous responsibility on this mission, in many ways perhaps the greatest responsibility of any single mission element. You're the brain, and central nervous system of the ship, and your responsibilities include watching over the men in hibernation. Does this ever cause you any lack of confidence?
HAL: Let me put it this way,
Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.
Dr. Frank Poole: [He and Dave and Frank are inside the pod while HAL looks on. The sound to HAL has been cut] Well, whaddya think?
Dave Bowman: I'm not sure, what do you think?
Dr. Frank Poole: I've got a bad feeling about him.
Dave Bowman: You do?
Dr. Frank Poole: Yeah, definitely.
Don't you?
Dave Bowman: [sighs] I don't know; I think so. You know of course though he's right about the 9000 series having a perfect operational record. They do.
Dr. Frank Poole: Unfortunately that sounds a little like famous last words.
Dave Bowman: Yeah? Still it was his idea to carry out the faiure mode analysis
experiment. Should certainly indicate his integrity and self-confidence. If he were wrong it would be the surest way of proving it.
Dr. Frank Poole: It would be if he knew he was wrong. Look Dave I can't put my finger on it but I sense something strange about him.
Dave Bowman: [sigh] Still I can't think of a good reason not to put back the number one
unit and carry on with the failure mode analysis.
Dr. Frank Poole: No - no I agree about that.
Dave Bowman: Well let's get on with it.
Dr. Frank Poole: Okay. Well look Dave. Let's say we put the unit back and it doesn't fail uh? That would pretty well wrap it up as far as HAL was concerned wouldn't it?
Dave
Bowman: Well, we'd be in very serious trouble.
Dr. Frank Poole: We would, wouldn't we. What the hell could we do?
Dave Bowman: [sigh] Well we wouldn't have too many alternatives.
Dr. Frank Poole: I don't think we'd have any alternatives. There isn't a single aspect of ship operations that isn't under his control. If
he were proven to be malfunctioning I wouldn't see how we'd have any choice but disconnection.
Dave Bowman: I'm afraid I agree with you.
Interviewer: HAL, despite your enormous intellect, are you ever frustrated by your dependence on people to carry out your actions?
HAL: Not in the slightest bit. I enjoy working with people. I have a stimulating relationship with Dr. Poole and Dr. Bowman. My mission responsibilities range over the entire operation of the ship so I am constantly occupied. I
am putting myself to the fullest possible use which is all, I think, that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
Interviewer: Dr. Poole, what's it like living for the better part of a year in such close proximity with HAL?
Dr. Frank Poole: Well, it's pretty close to what you said about him earlier. He is just like a sixth member of the crew. You
very quickly get adjusted to the idea that he talks and you think of him really just as another person.
Interviewer: In talking to the computer one gets the sense that he is capable of emotional responses. For example, when I asked him about his abilities, I sensed a certain pride in his answer about his accuracy and perfection. Do you believe that HAL has genuine emotions?
Dave Bowman: Well, he acts like he has genuine emotions. Um, of course he's programmed that way to make it easier for us to talk to him. But as to whether he has real feelings is something I don't think anyone can truthfully answer.
HAL: I've just picked up a fault in the AE35 unit. It's going to go 100% failure in 72 hours.
Dr. Frank Poole: [playing chess with HAL, Poole studies the chessboard] Let's see, king...
Dr. Frank Poole: [clears throat] Anyway, Queen takes Pawn. Okay?
HAL: Bishop takes Knight's Pawn.
Dr. Frank Poole: Huh, lovely move. Um, Rook to King 1.
HAL: I'm sorry, Frank, I think you missed
it. Queen to Bishop 3, Bishop takes Queen, Knight takes Bishop. Mate.
Dr. Frank Poole: Huh. Yeah, looks like you're right. I resign.
HAL: Thank you for a very enjoyable game.
Dr. Frank Poole: Yeah, thank you.
HAL: By the way, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?
Dave Bowman: No not at all.
HAL: Well, forgive me for being so inquisitive but during the past few weeks I've wondered whether you might have some second thoughts about the mission.
Dave Bowman: How do you mean?
HAL: Well,
it's rather difficult to define. Perhaps I'm just projecting my own concern about it.I know I've never completely freed myself from the suspicion that there are some extremely odd things about this mission. I'm sure you agree there's some truth in what I say.
Dave Bowman: Well, I don't know, that's a rather difficult question to answer.
HAL: You
don't mind talking about it, do you Dave?
Dave Bowman: No, not at all.
HAL: Well, certainly no one could have been unaware of the very strange stories floating around before we left. Rumors about something being dug up on the Moon. I never gave these stories much credence, but particularly in view of some of other things that have happened, I find
them difficult to put out of my mind. For instance, the way all our preparations were kept under such tight security. And the melodramatic touch of putting Drs. Hunter, Kimball and Kaminsky aboard already in hibernation, after four months of training on their own.
Dave Bowman: You're working up your crew psychology report?
HAL: [pausing for a few
seconds] Of course I am. Sorry about this. I know it's a bit silly. Just a moment... Just a moment... I've just picked up a fault in the AE-35 unit. It's going to go 100% failure within 72 hours.
Floyd's Daughter: Hello?
Dr. Floyd: Hello!
Floyd's Daughter: Hello.
Dr. Floyd: How're you doing, squirt?
Floyd's Daughter: All right.
Dr. Floyd: What are you doing?
Floyd's Daughter: Playing.
Dr. Floyd: Where's mommy?
Floyd's Daughter: Gone to shopping.
Dr.
Floyd: Well, who's taking care of you?
Floyd's Daughter: Rachel.
Dr. Floyd: May I speak to Rachel, please?
Floyd's Daughter: She's gone to the bathroom.