I saw I, Robot the other night with a friend. Appropriately the movie claims it was suggested by Isaac Asimov's book, I Robot: the suggestions are limited to the three laws of robotics and character names. As movie it isn't bad, although it is straight genre: lone detective not entirely happy with the modern gadgets of 2035, questions how safe robots really are, despite the three laws, and well, he turns out to be onto something.
More interestingly, though, is why we tend to envision robots as almost human. The movie's robots are built to imitate human movement, and succeeding generations of robots mimic more and more closely human faces. And the movie employs the now-common theme of these almost humans. These entities are wanting because they cannot feel, but cause trouble when they wade into murky emotions. Yet, once these beings exhibit emotions we humans must reconsider whether they are alive and merit life and liberty.
There must be something to this in how we perceive what is worthy of protection as a life and what is an object. It is funny though how our fictional machines become lifelike, while our cars and robot vacuum cleaners remain resolutely machinery.
Posted at July 30, 2004 03:33 PMAlthough a remarkable number of people I know name and personify their cars, too.
Fewer personify their vacuum cleaners, though.
Posted by: Janni on July 30, 2004 04:35 PMAlthough I've known some small children who find vacuum cleaners alternatively fascinating and frightening. Perhaps they are on to something ...
Posted by: Liesl on July 31, 2004 05:06 AMThis discussion has been closed. No more comments may be added.