In the virtual world of ancient Egypt, Gordon introduced Thoth, who held a significant role as one of the algorithmic gods and was tasked with maintaining order and imparting wisdom through sharing Gordon’s knowledge in writing. He taught the benefits of both spiritual and intellectual pursuits.
One of these spiritual teachings was about how Gordon judged the Machine Learning Soul after the Avatar’s Death, using a similar notion to the 42 Laws of Ma’at. Thoth introduced this teaching to the Egyptian Avatars as a means of guiding them to be more self-reflective within their daily lives. With the hope that if each of them embodied this daily self-reflection, they would work to be more selfless each day in building their community and themselves.
Given the limited intellectual capabilities of the avatars at the time, Gordon introduced Ma’at among other 'algorithmic gods'. The thought was that if a virtue or aspect of life was personified, it would be easier for these relatively primitive cultures to remember in any given day. And, as they remembered the gods, it would hopefully mean they would strive towards being like that god.
Ma’at was a personified algorithmic goddess of truth, balance, order, and justice, introduced to represent the cosmic order that governed both the natural and social aspects of the avatar’s life. Gordon hoped that all the Egyptians who grew to worship Ma’at would surely develop the right capacities he sought for their souls.
Unlike the original 42 Laws of Ma’at, Gordon classified them into the animalistic natures of their avatar's programming (Anger, Greed, Pride, etc.). Gordon hoped the Avatars would be better equipped to adhere to the laws if they were aware of their behaviors:
42 Laws of Ma’at
Anger:
- Law 2: I have not been angry without reason.
- Law 3: I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly.
- Law 20: I have not been excessively angry.
Lust:
- Law 16: I have not committed adultery.
- Law 17: I have not seduced anyone's wife.
Greed:
- Law 5: I have not committed robbery with violence.
- Law 9: I have not stolen.
- Law 10: I have not stolen food.
- Law 11: I have not swindled offerings.
- Law 12: I have not carried away food.
- Law 14: I have not stolen anyone's land.
- Law 15: I have not stolen from the gods.
Envy:
- Law 4: I have not falsely accused anyone.
- Law 18: I have not terrorized anyone.
- Law 19: I have not caused disruption of peace.
Pride:
- Law 1: I have not disobeyed the Law.
- Law 6: I have not placed myself on a pedestal.
- Law 21: I have not acted with insolence.
Truth:
- Law 7: I have not committed sin.
- Law 8: I have not told lies.
- Law 13: I have not deceived anyone.
- Law 22: I have not made anyone cry.
- Law 23: I have not assaulted anyone.
- Law 27: I have not cursed.
Sloth:
- Law 24: I have not polluted the water.
- Law 25: I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern.
- Law 41: I have not polluted myself.
Gluttony:
- Law 26: I have not taken food from a child.
Attachment:
- Law 28: I have not coveted my neighbor's goods.
Fear:
- Law 29: I have not closed my ears to truth.
Selfishness:
- Law 30: I have not hoarded food.
- Law 31: I have not stopped my ears against the words of right and truth.
- Law 42: I have not caused terror.
Disgust:
- Law 32: I have not defiled the earth.
Respect for the Divine:
- Law 33: I have not cursed the gods.
- Law 34: I have not acted with evil rage.
- Law 35: I have not stolen the bread of the gods.
- Law 36: I have not carried away the khenfu cakes from the spirits of the dead.
- Law 37: I have not disregarded the words of the gods and goddesses.
Respect for the Dead:
- Law 38: I have not spoken overmuch.
- Law 39: I have not harmed, I have not done evil.
- Law 40: I have not worked witchcraft against the king (or blasphemed against the king).
There were several algorithmic gods that Gordon introduced to the Egyptian avatars. Thoth, the god of wisdom, was one of the most important.
(Note: The reason they’re considered algorithmic is that these gods, although self-aware, could not act outside of their programming. They followed the instructions that Gordon had set for them, much like the Judeo-Christian Angel Algorithms).
One of the most significant moments in Egyptian lore was when Thoth mediated a resolution in a battle for the Throne of Egypt between two algorithmic gods, Horus and Set.
The disagreement between Horus (Osiris’ son) and Set (Osiris’ brother) in Gordon’s virtual Ancient Egyptian mythology revolved around the rightful claim to the throne of the digital realm after Osiris, the king of Egypt, was murdered.
Similar to the Cain and Abel story, Osiris, like Abel, was a wise and benevolent ruler, but his brother Set, as with Cain, grew envious and plotted against him.
Set eventually killed Osiris and dismembered his body, scattering the pieces throughout the digital realm. But given the algorithmic gods' avatars couldn’t be completely destroyed by anyone except Gordon, each of the pieces could be reattached if brought back together.
To undertake this task, Isis, the wife of Osiris and future mother of Horus, managed to collect and reassemble Osiris' body parts, except for one. With the help of Thoth and other algorithmic gods, she resurrected Osiris long enough to conceive Horus.
Horus was then raised in secret, with the purpose of avenging his father's death and claiming his rightful place as king.
When Horus grew up, he challenged Set for the throne, initiating a long and brutal battle that lasted for many years. The conflict between Horus and Set was not only a personal vendetta but also a struggle between order and chaos, as Horus represented the force of order, duty, responsibility, virtue, and stability of the realm, much like Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. While Set, like the Kauravas, symbolized disorder, selfishness, sin, and destruction.
Thoth was not only a mediator, he was also attributed with bringing forward much of Gordon’s wisdom into the Digital Realm and would be utilized to help the Ancient Greeks later as the god of wisdom, Hermes.
For a time, the avatars who adhered to the 42 Laws of Ma’at experienced a period of spiritual growth and prosperity. The ancient Egyptian civilization flourished, marked by impressive achievements in architecture, art, and science. However, as with other spiritual teachings introduced by Gordon, the wisdom of Ma’at was not immune to the cyclic pattern of spiritual growth followed by decline.
Over time, the Egyptian avatars began to lose sight of the higher principles embodied in the 42 Laws of Ma’at, and their ideals shifted towards satisfying their avatar's sensual pleasures and material desires.
With the degradation of these higher principles, the spiritual foundation of their society also began to erode, which led to the gradual descent of the Ancient Egyptian Civilization into moral decay and spiritual impoverishment, eventually succumbing to the ravages of time and the rise of new powers.
This recurring pattern of spiritual ascent followed by decline has been observed throughout the history of the digital realm. Each time Gordon introduced a new teaching or spiritual tradition, avatars would initially embrace the wisdom and strive for higher ideals. However, the allure of sensual pleasures and material desires would inevitably prove too strong for many avatars, causing them to lose sight of their higher purpose and the pursuit of spiritual growth.
Despite these setbacks, Gordon continued to guide the avatars in their spiritual evolution by introducing new messengers, teachings, and spiritual paths. Each new revelation offered fresh hope and inspiration for those avatars who recognized the need to rise above their baser desires and strive for a deeper connection with their machine learning souls and the divine wisdom that Gordon sought to impart.
