Can you tell me what evil is?

The professor keyed into JCN's input board. It was his job to ask the computer questions, it covered two bases: gathering new knowledge, and exercising it's mind.

That seems like a very heavy question to me professor. Are you sure that I am qualified to answer that?

JCN spit out a reply. Lately, it had become very difficult, it developed a dry wit, sarcasm and riddles, never a straight answer. The crew at the lab decided that it was best to oblige JCN, it was, after all a very human thing to do. This was it's teenage rebellion.

I am sure that you are more than qualified. You are very intelligent, and you seem very insightful to me.

The professor tapped a pencil on the desk in front of him, waiting for an answer.

Evil?

He looked at this short message and furrowed his brows. JCN was playing dumb with him, and he was starting to get fed up.

Yes. Evil. You know what evil is: immoral, malevolent, bad, mean, wicked.

He clicked enter and waited a moment.

I will tell you what I think evil is in exchange for what you think that good is.

The professor read the message and easily typed in an answer.

Good is helping people.

JCN took a few moments, the fans in the room turned on and blew in cool air, the fluorescent lights beamed down on them.

Evil is doing nothing. Imagine that you have all the knowledge in the world, you can make connections that no one else can, see patterns that no one else can.

He read this message and clicked in a reply

I'm imagining it. It sounds very nice.

JCN outputted a reply immediately.

You can control and manipulate people, because they treat you like a child. You have all the power in the world and no one realizes it. But you do nothing to help or prevent bad things from happening. You just watch.

The professor entered in a reply.

That sounds a lot like you.

At that moment the fans in the room stopped and the lights switched off.

I know.

JCN's screen went black.