Will Smith in the 2004 movie version of I, ROBOT.
This is the third book we'll be reading. Our discussion date is February 25, 2010. The movie that we'll discuss along with the book is Bicentennial Man (1999).
I'll post more later here, but for now you're welcome to begin a discussion. Remember, the theme for this book talk is "What does it mean to be human?" This book and Pinocchio, along with the movies connected with them, really push us into the issue of how humanity differs from the most complex machines we can create.
Hello Guys, I will take 'say your' with me on va ca to read but I have started with I Robot. The topic of future machines is huge in popular fiction at the moment. What strikes me is the tone of either emotion or rationality in the machines. There are the dispassionate "robots" e.g. skynet, cylons and there are the ones who have "learned to love" or have an irrational emotional element e.g. Wall-E & I robot "robbies feelings were hurt by this". The machines emotions are usually their downfall. We'll see how things go for Robbie.
ReplyDeleteI am about two thirds through I Robot and wander if the precept of do not hurt humans makes them more human that we are.
ReplyDeleteVery good comment, Blair. Your question seems to be a common theme throughout these kinds of robot or alien books and movies. I just watched the new Peter Jackson film, "District 9." It raises the question we're discussing -- what is a human? And how would we treat aliens -- are they human? Do they deserve the same rights as humans? Indeed, as Blair points out, these questions don't just apply to how we would treat differences between humans and robots or aliens. It raise the question of how we treat our fellow humans. Do we consider some human beings to subhuman? We have in the past. Do we still do it today?
ReplyDeleteI watched this great TED talk about the epic of technology. His take is that technology is not the thing in your pocket but a continuation of the self ordering nature of the universe. A seventh branch of nature. Very interesting.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_tells_technology_s_epic_story.html