Chapter 8

Solaris has almost no technological malfunctions, instead Solaris is relevant to chapter 8's topics: computer misinterpretation and simulations. Straut, Sartorius, and Kelvin interpret the visitors differently, but we know that they are results from a computer. Straut and Sartorious interpret the visitors as non-living autonomous subjects and a negative result from Solaris. Kelvin rejects his visitor, Hari, at first, by trying to launch her by a rocket. She reappears and Kelvin, knowing that he cannot send her away, decides to understand who she really is. He slowly helps her improve and become a better-simulated human by explaining who she is to her, asking questions, and showing her relevant videos. Kelvin eventually interprets Hari as being alive, not as a mere subject. The visitors are simulated people created by Solaris. They are regenerative neutrino-based life forms that can gain human-level sentience over time and become more reliable. Solaris may use these visitors to understand humans and learn to better recreate them.