Readings:
Allison Muri, “Of Sh*t and the Soul: Tropes of Cybernetic Disembodiment in Contemporary Culture”
According to Canty and Muri's articles, what have been the recurring fears/anxieties provoked by automata, robots and cyborgs throughout literary and cultural history (identify at least two)? What links do you see between our discussion two weeks ago regarding technology as an extension of our bodies, and the notions of disembodiment that these authors address?
55 comments:
Two ways that cyborgs scare people are these; one, we are afraid that we as a human race will be replaced by a new generation of machines, and two, we are afraid that if man meshes with machine, we will lose our self-identity as a man. Tied together, ultimately we are afraid of being taken over by the "ghost in the machine" and becoming a new species altogether. Some might see this as an evolutionary advantage, and would embrace the idea without hesitation; while others, specifically Christians like myself, see such an idea as blasphemy against God. We are reminded of Babylon, and how technology can go so far that God has to intervene. We are not interested in becoming as smart as God, because we know we are simply not worthy. We are more afraid of God's wrath, should we succeed in pushing science to a god-like height. Right now, we use technology to enhance our lives, but this is bound to change. Already machines have consumed us to the point where we are stationary and the machine works for us. Not far in the future, we may try to mesh our human flesh to a machine to gain advantage in daily life. But if we push this too far, and learn to create humans ourselves, or use our "ghost in the machine" to try to create a new species, we are bound to bring God's wrath against us. This is the ultimate fear, and it is the root of all other uncanny fears tied to technology. It is simply unnatural to be meshed into a machine because we create machines, but we were created by God. If we learn to create life like God, we are destined for trouble, and our souls know it.
~Jackie Bentley, Group 3
an anxiety or fear we have with robots and cyborgs is that they will become so advanced in doing human abilities that we the humans will become useless. that everything we do now can be done by robots or cyborgs leaves no reason for humans to exists. we will be replaced by the machine. Muri states that "theory of cyperspace has been that the human body is vanishing." we need to feel needed and that we are worth something if machines can do everything we feel worthless. for xample the story of john henry beating the machine in laying down railroad tracks is a good example of man wanted to out prove the machine. although it is a tall tale and complete fictional, the underlining meaning behind it is that we want to be the best and want to be need and machines are our competetion. another fear would b the loss of our identity and human nature along with the sense that we will never be alone. if we would be complete dependent on machines such as robots we lose all of our natural human instict because it would be unnessacary. since the beginning of man we have created or learned how to retrieve everything we needed to survive. if manchines like robots took that over we lose ourselves our identity to them. the true meaning behnd technoloy is to make life esaier for use, like robots doing our everyday tasks for use or the tachnology created that we discussed in class (extension of our bodies). but too much technology scares us. we are afraid of being useless that everything we need is drivin by technoloy. also i think we don't 100 percent rely on technology, wwe still see many kinks. for example electricity. we rely on electricity so much that when we have power outages we are left with nothig to do. we can't cook, get water from the faucets or even perserve food. if we would lose electricity for long periods of time we would be in big trouble. but that also led to the creation of the generator that runs on gas and can power a house during a black out.
Lydell Peterson
Group 1 (Emir)
There are many reoccurring fears/anxieties provoked by automata but none stand out as prevalent as the fear that machines will slowly replace the actions of humans, replace humans themselves (as in body parts and “spirit”), and will give humans a “God-like” creationism ego that will eventually turn into the corruption of everything human into everything robotic or cyber kinetic. The article that stood out for the anxiety of replacing humans was “The Artifcial Mother.” The thought of creating a household robot/cyborg to replace the mother freeing her of her child rearing duties so that she can pursue other endeavors asks the question “how far is too far when it comes to technology.” This relates to class in the sense of what is wholly human creation and how far can computer/robot aided creation go. We discussed about an artist that makes music by moving his body with computer interpreted notes. This raises the question, “How much input is from him and how much is from the computer.” To what extreme are we using robotics/computers to do what should be human creation? The fear here is that eventually there won’t be a human creation and that it will be entirely taken over by computers and robots. I’m sure somewhere there is already art being created by robots.
The 2nd article that stood out for me was “Owen Warland’s Butterfly” This reference puts force the question of to what extent are humans trying to play the role of nature (or God). The fear here is that eventually humans will be able to create living things (cyborgs/clones) that will eventually take over everything that is human and transform it into a “robot-like” world. This brings up the idea about cloning and ‘”fixing human imperfections.” While robots/cyborgs may seem more “perfert,” it’s humanities flaws that make it what it is. Without it everything would be predictable and mundane. To error is human, and the fear that humans are trying to fix those errors is what is creating these fears. I’m sure many famous pieces of artwork were “happy accidents” made by human error. Error is a part of life and should not be erased robotic like perfection.
This discussion of fearing cyborgs and robots provoking fear reminds me of the movie "I, Robot". Where everyone trusted robots and, Will Smith plays, a character whom does not trust robots. And, ironically is partially made of robot material. If robots begin to take over human characteristics a sense pointlessness would come over the human race. Robots building robots, doing chores and working in factories, leaves humans with few jobs, if any! Hopefully technology will go far enough to aid human life but not completely take over it. Some things just need to be done by hand, by humans. Lying in a hospital, surrounded by robots, there would be no comforting factor. No human contact, very depressing. For this very purpose robots and cyborgs will never "take over", people need that connection, that communication. Voice commands on my laptop just aren't the same as a real conversations. Games like Facade attempt to depict real life scenarios, but ultimately the conversation can only go as far as its javascript will take the "game". This also explains why the "Robot" Mother will never take hold and if this does, in the future, I have lost respect for all mankind. One cannot connect the same with a robot as a human, just as one cannot connect the same with a friend than a parent. They are totally different relationships and hold stronger/weaker bonds depending on the relationship.
~Kurt Sensenbrenner
group 3
Unless machines can rise to the level of self-sustainment, we co-exist with them. There is always the fear that we will be wholly replaced as a race by these devices which live with (as we perceive 'for') us will no longer require us. Von Neumann Machines (devices with the capability to build a replica of themselves given only raw materials) are currently being developed at MIT. There are theories (mostly for entertainment) on this model, but it's a bit unsettling to think about in this light:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Advanced_Automation_for_Space_Missions_figure_5-19.jpg
Another great fear is our fusion with these machines. Our fears of being overrun by these objects is mostly a fear of the future; Hybridization, however, is a fear (and a reality) of the present. Prosthetic technology is causing increasing paranoia. The technology being developed for this purpose seems in itself like we're useless without these machines.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XChu20hTxU
~~ Eric Fritz, Group 3
Hayley Schneider
Group 1
The two reoccurring fears that I mostly noticed throughout the articles were humans being replaced by robots and what the human technology boundaries are. In regards to humans being replaced by robots and machines, from business scenes this has already started to happen. Machines take over positions of multiple people in factories. It is cheaper to have the machines doing a number of jobs than people doing the jobs. In the article American Automata, in most of the instances the humans were murdered by the machines that they created but the quote I like the most from the article was, “He perceives the world and its inhabitants as a theatre of puppets where he is the puppeteer.” I think this article fits perfectly because machines and robots are amazing things but they are still not humans. Robots are controlled by wires and devices, they do not run off of emotion or feeling. Which leads me to the human technology boundaries that were discussed in Allison Muri’s article. Humans rely on technology so much now days that it has become a form of us. Like we discussed in class before, people can’t go anywhere without their cell phones because they feel lost without it. This is an example of how we have formed an attachment to technology. Another example is how people have the internet on every mechanical device they have. The internet is on palm pilots, cell phones, lab tops, pretty much anything you can think of. Without this luxury people would have to converse with one another and be social and who would want that? That is why text messaging and instant messaging was invented to keep people from being social with one another.
I couldn't help but be aware of the religious undertones that seem to be prevalent in both discussions of "automatons". From looking through the posts, it seems that other students found the same things. There is often this reference to "playing God", by creating technology that elaborates on or replaces human abilities. It seems that there is this underlying fear that by creating beings to do the work that we ourselves are already able to do, we are going against God's will and messing with the natural order of things. This idea, however, (and I say this with the expectation of backlash) is based on a fear of God ideal. If you look at what both of these articles are saying, they are speaking about the human instinct to wonder and imagine the possibility of technology. It would seem that this desire to push technology forward (one presumably given to humans by God) is coupled by the mental capacity of humans to make these fantasies a reality. From the "American Automata" article, we can see that this desire has stretched back since the beginning of modern technology, many of these automaton stories are set in the 1800's. So, instead of seeing religion as an opposition to technological advancement, I don't see how they can't go hand in hand. By using our minds to their full capacity to create these technologies are we not using what God has given us? In this way, I don't think that the creation of artificial intelligence has to be seen as a way of "playing God". In fact, by creating machines to do our "dirty" work, are we not freeing up our time, so that more of it might be spent focusing on the spiritual?
Kristen Gibb
Group 3
Michael Schafer Group 3
I agree that the greatest fear of robots and cyborgs is that one day humans will become obsolete. The robots will take over our jobs, control our businesses, and maybe even rebel against their owners and take over the human race. That they will, one day, control us and rule us. They will become the master and us the slave. Our technology keeps on advancing and by building robots with the ability to think on their own who knows what could happen. I am a religious person and by creating these robots and cyborgs in the way we want them to be is definitely just like God creating us. And when you try to become or act like God you know your headed in the wrong direction. Backlash and punishment are eminent. Technology will turn on it's creator. I still believe that we need to use technology to its full potential. If we have the materials to go to the moon then we should. Technology is man's closest way of finding the truth/unknown. But we still must use it only for good and not to mess with God. If we have the technology to transplant organs then transplant organs. If it wasn't meant to be then God will deal with it and we will know when he has.
One of the concerns that has been discussed throughout our history is the fear that humans will eventually combine with these extensions and create a postevolutionary being that is programmed and given information to perform processes. Basically, we are afraid that our technological advancements will eventually bring forth this cyber connection to our creations and we will exist as a system. Then the effects of these are brought forth in their second fear. The fear that we will lose our identity through this collaboration of human and technology. We will seem to be unnatural bodies and we will lose our spirit or essence of being a human. People are afraid of this because we have an understanding of ourself and of our feelings and beliefs and these could potentially be lost in a world where we coincide as beings with our technology.
This makes our extensions of the present seem primitive. These iPods, computers, tvs, etc... are extensions in the beginning stage of their incorporation if you look at it in long term perspectives. We have just started developing these different extensions, and as technology rapidly progresses, so will the extensions that become the norm in our lives. Canty and Muri are investigating an interesting idea. This does seem to be the path that we are attempting to achieve through a technological world, but its roots lie in a physical world, establishing a boundary where technology must relize it exists in a physical world. Technology could potentially embody humans in the future, but with our awareness of self and our desire to maintain our identity and consciousness; it appears that a time of this combination of technology and self is a long way coming. Although it would be very interesting to see the realistic progression of technology embodying our lives; I will not see these drastic changes within my lifetime to support that they will be fully incorporated into our bodies.
--Nick Reindl, Group Two
There is a popular Japanese anime series called Ghost in The Shell about an elite force of android police. In the show, humanity has become totally comfortable upgrading itself with cybernetic appendages, and is able to actually transfer a human intelligence entirely into a robotic body. A recurring theme in the show is that of the distance between the human soul (referred to as a "ghost") and the robot body that it inhabits. At least one of the characters in the show has embraced their androidness to the extent that she is unsure whether or not she even has a ghost. For her, questions of normality and humanity are practically mute.
This is the overriding fear in both of these articles. That humanity will eventually lose itself in its own technology. And it today's society, it seems that the danger to be feared is two-fold. Not only might we one day be over-taken by our own robot slaves, as in The Matrix or Terminator, but we might also lose ourselves in some vast sea of living data like in some William Gibson novel, preferring to hide away in another world created in cyberspace (akin to something like Second Life or the game in eXistenZ.)
And worse, it seems that the first steps to this future have already been taken. When we readily accept being plugged into our iPod's or cellular phones 24/7, or when we see spending several hours of the day tied to a computer working (or playing) on the internet as normal, what other things might one day be normal? With wireless ear-piece headsets the norm today, might we see the next logical step as having our cell phones permanently attached to our bodies via some inner-ear implant? Will digital cameras someday come standard in the human eye?
When these stories of robots first were formed they were all made as frightening tales similar to nightmares. So naturally people feared what was to become of new technologies in the future and what if a robot was really created. The story “The Bell Tower” by Herman Melville's is about a man, Bannadonna, who builds a bell for a tower in his village but then puts himself in the role of God. He designs a robot to ring the bell and to be one of his slaves. He believes his creations are so amazing that he turns mad and kills one of his human workers. The bell then symbolizes the evil and the crimes Bannadonna committed while involved with his machine. His invention turns out to be the reason for his death; it begins to have a mind of its own and turns against him. Basically no good can come of an invention that is similar to a human and made by technology, when the creator begins to have no control over what he created. In Muri’s text she was stating how that a “cyber culture” is becoming more accepted now in our generation, but it’s replacing the human essence. That one day an automaton could become so human-like that we won’t be able to tell the different from the real thing. Creations of a robot in many of these stories are an extension of us. Those characters in the stories created them as a replica for themselves. Like one man made one identical to his wife, so he could get more attention from her, even though it wasn’t human. It’s a way of making something for us and like us almost an extension of our imagination coming to life.
Aja Gray
Group 4
I think that one of the major recurring fears people have when the topic of robots and cyborgs are the fear of having technology become so advanced that eventually “the robots” become the dominant race. The next feared idea of the future is that humans join with machines creating a species of humans that are completely reliant on machines to do things that a daily human does now. For example Allison Muri relates to the theory that the human body will vanish. By saying this she meant that overtime we will find ways to technologically enhance our bodies using robots which would make our bodies superior to an original human’s body. After doing this for years and years we would eventually be made out of completely robots. People fear this because it’s like loosing your identity which gives people a scare. “If machines were intelligent then the soul, and therefore God, would not exist.” This quote from Daniel Canty relates this scare to another level in which we loose are soul and God would seize to exist. This also gives people a jump when thinking about religion and the meaning of soul. As much as all these things are possible I believe it to be a long time before they become reality.
Colin Sytsma, 115, Group 3
Nacia Schreiner - group 1
The growth of robotic and cyborg representations in our literary and cultural world have led to a few concerned outlooks for the future. Though cyborgs and robots are products of human beings, the possibility of them overcoming that of their creator is becoming more and more prevalent. Muri states that “one of the most pervasive themes in the fiction…of cyber culture…has been that the human body is vanishing, irrelevant or, interfaced with the machine…” We can see through pop culture robotic icons (such as the Terminator, I-Robot, A.I. etc.) resemble that of a human being. Even computers constructed today have voice technology that imitates a humanistic voice quality. We are far more immersed in the need for daily technology than that of our ancestors and therefore are dependent on machine to continue our supposed quality of life. This concept is also seen in technology as an extension of humans. Technology, machines, robots, cyborgs all extends the abilities of humans.
One fear is that we will be virtually replaced by these machines... There will be no use for human intervention. We see this now more than ever in things such as production lines and even warfare, which is pretty scary in itself, however, it can be beneficial because it potentially eliminates certain dirty or tedious tasks that once had to be performed manually. Another fear is that if man meshes with machine, like we talked about in class with the extensions of our bodies, will the man cease to exist? IF we replace virtually every part of a human with prosthetics, chips, or anything else we can conceive, will our souls or our personalities cease to exist. Will we still be in control of our bodies or will our ways of acting and thinking be changed making our actions less voluntary, but still subconscious?
Eddie Roberts - group 2
Two recurring fears humans have of robots and cyborgs is, one, becoming an obsolete race and two losing our identity and influence as humans. Becoming an obsolete race would be the biggest possible shock to humans, mostly because we've never had superiors on our planet. We have the power to control so many different species on Earth, that we wouldn't know how to react if something tried controlling us. Even worse, we wouldn't know how to handle something being smarter than us. Humans take for granted how much control we have. One underlying fear we have stems from the knowledge that so far, technology is thought of as having no limits. Would robots follow suit? We surprise ourselves with what we can do. I, myself, am shocked to see some of the things that have been invented recently, but I have a sense of security knowing that it is my own human race making them. What if robots starting inventing things? This is a bit scarier. It all comes back to human's lust for control. Our second fear is of losing our own identity. We don't want to lose our individuality in favor of robots and cyborgs becoming more advanced. So many films consider the idea of our world being taken over by our own technology. A good example being Minority Report. I don't think any human on Earth wants to ditch their name for a number, or have a microchip implanted in their arm. Robots and cyborgs are technology as an extension of our body that we could easily lose control of.
Devin Smith, group 1
One of the fears of the robot age is that machines will slowly take over, taking our identity, our "soul". The fear is that robots will take over and leave humans like machines, with no feelings, just focused on the task at hand. I find this interesting that at this age we fear machines taking over when we have more to fear in ourselves. Like it says in Shit&Soul, "Human excreta is frequently the most critical pollutant, and unsanitary conditions in the home are generally more of a threat to health than industrial pollutants." So why do we fear robots more than pollution? I think its from that fear of disembodiment. If we die from pollution we are just dead, but if we "turn into robots" we are still alive but without a "soul".
Joe Simanis (Group 2)
Several fears towards robots and cyborgs are prevalent in literacy and history. One fear is that robots or cyborgs will become the objects of humanity’s demise. This probably stems from a fear of what we don’t understand. We fear that things we don’t know about will kill us, so logically if we don’t know robots, there is a chance they will kill us too. Another fear is role reversal. Usually, Machines work for us. We have easier lives because they do the hard work we don’t have to. If robots become more advanced than we are, then they will get the upper hand and enslave us to do what we used them for. Machines today can be seen as an extension of our bodies. Soon, machines my actually become a part of our bodies. But, we know machines break down. Machines need repair much different than the type of repair our own bodies need. This brings a fear that mechanical body parts will do more harm than good.
Jacob Feiring-Group 2 (Emir)
According to Canty and Murf’s articles, the recurring anxieties provoked by autmoata, robots, cyborgs, etc. stem from the fear of becoming useless and obsolete and losing an identity when machines are capable of doing all the work that a humans can do. Muri states in her article “Of Sh*t and the Soul: Tropes of Cybernetic Disembodiment in Contemporary Culture,” that “Theories of the loss of selfhood and elimination of the ‘real or ‘natural’ body due to the electronic media have been a long-standing tradition in academic studies.”
According to Marshall McLuhan, “The violence that all electric media inflict on their users’ is that they are instantly invaded and deprived of their physical bodies and are merged into a network of extensions of their own nervous systems.”
If humans can so easily be replaced by machines, there is potential to feel/be useless, and become bodies without roles that define them and give them self-worth.
In regards to the class’s discussion about technology as an extension of our bodies, the difference between this idea and Canty and Murf’s articles lies in the amount of control humans have or feel they have. It’s one thing for technology to be an extension of our bodies as long as we still have control and manipulate the machines. When machines can control themselves and don’t need to be manipulated by the human hand, however, the fear of the human being becoming obsolete hits too close to home
When it comes to the fear of machines I have to agree with the things that have been mentioned by my classmates. The most fear-provoking scenario is that machines will become so advanced that they will be able to not only to compete with us, but ultimately will take over our domain. This is the theme that has been exploited in some many great works of literature, and definitely in film, most notably: Terminator movies, Matrix trilogy, I, Robot, and sci-fi classic The Bladerunner. At the same time there is a scenario about our creations becoming the next step in evolution and replacing our species on top of the food chain. At the same time there is also analogy to Bible's Babylon, where humans get punished for their creation. This to me is the foreshadowing of what may come in the future if humanity takes its creations for granted. Of course there are other types of technology, such as stem cell research, that provoke questions about its possible use, and future dangers to our society.
Compared to the discussion about technology being and extension of our bodies, I must say that just like with interactive reality we are becoming too dependent on machines already, and computers have already become an integral part of our body.
Gleb Sergeyev
Group 1
One recurring fear of automata, robots, and cyborgs is the loss of connection with an individual body. Muri wrote, "Theories of the loss of selfhood and elimination of the ‘real’ or ‘natural’ body due to electronic media have been a long-standing tradition in academic studies: ‘The violence that all electric media inflict on their users’, Marshall McLuhan wrote a quarter of a century ago, ‘is that they are instantly invaded and deprived of their physical bodies and are merged in a network of extensions of their own nervous systems’" Obviously, technology is brining about a new age of paranoia concerning what limitations prevent one being from overlapping into another. Another fear, man's entanglement with the building blocks of nature, can be found later described by Muri. " . . . they also found their own theory on the assumption so frequently made, and ill-defined at best, in such explications of cyborg identity: that is, what ‘human awareness’, consciousness or identity was prior to our ‘postmodern’ era. Obviously, our understanding of nature and our ability to manipulate it is constantly reforming our explication of human identity; but our ‘disembodiment’ is largely in these cases a literary production." I see many links connecting this debate with our previous debate in class. Because of man's unending push forward into advanced technology and creation, we're erasing the boundaries that kept us safe and wary. Now, with questionable motives, our developments in technology are endless, as well as the fears about it.
-Matthew Balz Group 3
*Note: I could not get Daniel Canty’s article to load on my computer for some reason.
I think the biggest fear our society has of robots cyborgs, and automata is the fear of these devices taking over our planet and lives by becoming too intelligent for mankind. Allison Muri talks about this by saying, “These narratives, performances, concerns and dreams, both ironic and earnest, have all contributed to a form of anxiety about human disembodiment or evolution to a post-human state in some media or cyber-studies, most notably in the works of Kroker and Baudrillard, which in turn have influenced popular culture such as the film The Matrix.” I think the Matrix is a great example of this because it shows how the human race can be completely run and controlled by robots and cyborgs without even realizing it. As far as how this relates to our discussion two weeks ago, I think it is very relevant. I believe Nike and Apple now work together to put a chip in your running shoes that sends a signal to your iPod telling you all the statistics of your workout. Rather than just extensions, these types of computers are just becoming more and more, internal parts of our bodies. In my opinion I think the next step towards this disembodiment is the incorporation of mainstream virtual reality. Virtual reality already somewhat exists but I think if the human race lets it get out of hand, it could end up like a virtual reality that is seen in “The Matrix”.
Max Larsen
Group 3
(Group 4)
It is fairly evident through these two articles what fears and anxieties humans are facing concerning robots and cyborgs. Although I don’t think these articles were essential for us to realize this, at some point I am sure the thought of what the future has in store has crossed our minds. But, as far as the articles are concerned, the two main fears that are communicated are that of the human race becoming obsolete and replaced with robots and cyborgs. And directly related, these machines will become so evolved and able to mimic human functions that we will become useless. In many ways technology has been employed through the form of bodily extensions for many years. Perhaps not to the extremes of robots but in the medical field things such as prosthetic limbs, pace makers, and other machines have been vital for many to sustain life at a functional level. Our society doesn’t fear these advancements in the same way that we would a robot. Mostly because we know that these devices would be incapable taking over or causing a threat to the human identity. Though in reality, in some ways prosthetics are toned down disguised forms of what we fear most. The fear that machines will be able to mimic human abilities so closely that we will have no longer have a place for our organic identity.
The recurring fears/anxieties are that as human beings we will create something that will become ultimately smarter than us and end up getting rid of us. An example of this would be the movie “The Terminator”, as the premise states that as human beings began to make machines that were faster, sleeker and smarter, the machines started to rebel and consider itself more superior than its maker. People are afraid that if we continue to build machines, there will come a day when humans are not needed. Machines are becoming better at doing jobs then people are with less chance of error, and that’s frightening to some. That they will lose their identity (job) or who they are based on a machine that doesn’t have a soul and can’t comprehend emotions.
I see the link between what we said in class and the notion of disembodiment. When we were discussing the ipods and cell phones for example, a lot of people including myself stated we didn’t know how to function without having them on us at all times. I personally use these technologies because they can connect me to people, and yet I know that I’m cutting myself off from others who are standing right next to me by listening to my headphones instead of talking to them.
However, I can see the good along with the bad for robots. Because of robots, we are able to go further underground, make better surgeries without opening a person up and be able to do things that would have been limited if it were us jus doing it. Robots can go where people can’t, either in trapped caves, Mars or farther underwater. For now, robots are helping us in ways that we’ve never imagined and hopefully will continue to help us. (Or at least until after I die. Then they can take over and rule with an iron fist, but not until I’m dead.)
Veronica Mosley, Group 4
Basically, two ways in which human's fear technology is that technology, as it progresses takes away from human identity, a loss of soul perhaps. The second fear is that technology, ie robots will become so sophisticated that they will no longer need humans and take over the world, much like the Terminator movies where the cyborgs become self aware. Given our discussion on technology as an extension of the body a couple weeks ago I believe these fears to be unfounded. Take for instance the idea of the loss of identity, many would say that as we become more dependent on cyberspace we become less our true selves and more a persona, living in a world of fantasy without consequense, being that which we are not. But I view such technology as simply an extension of social life, and while some may actually lose themselves online, so do people lose themselves in reality, never really having an "identity" at all. What's funny about human society is that this question of technology as friend or foe has always been on the forefront. Granted we have advanced quite a bit over the last hundred years or so, but we are just the same as the people who, let's say, didn't trust the wheel-barrow. Technology neither disembodies nor controls humans, humans control technology. It's funny to me that people are so quick to judge computers and robots as the downfall of the human race, but seem to enjoy, or be indifferent to the newest bomb that government invented to kill more people. In summation, technology doesn't cause us to lose identity, but rather let's us extend our identities in different realms and different ways. And if we do ever get taken over by robots, I'm sure that the government will have something to do with it.
dml80
David Lewandowski 115 Group 2
Muri's main fear is the loss of the soul. He reiterates many times on how in the transfer of the body into the machine, the soul is made more into the machine than a separate part of the person. She puts blame for this transformation to machine on the idea that the body that we are born with is obsolete. She says that as the human species grows we are only endangering ourselves with our own waste. In conforming to the superiority of machines, we eliminate this threat but also lose a more important part of ourselves.
On the other hand, Canty is more concerned with bodily replacement, which also leads to total replacement. He says how we already have robots to do many things in our lives and its only a matter of time before they become more integrated into us. He points out how the word robot actually came from the Slavic words "work" and "slave". I think that is his main fear in integrated these machines into ourselves. The connection that I see from two weeks ago is that while integrating these machines with our bodies, as extensions now but sooner or later part of us is that while making tasks easier and making our bodies more efficient we lose a lot of what it is to be human beings. At some point humans will have to learn to live with what they have if they want to keep all of it.
Derrick Markowski - Group 3
Tony Lopez
Group 4
Think about it this way. Cyborgs could look like humans and act like humans. You could look into their eyes and maybe even see a personality. However, cyborgs and humans differ. You look into our eyes and see a soul. We have feelings, we are not cold as steel. Our feelings would get in our way. The limitations of our bodies is what holds us back. The almost superior body of a robot human could be used for our advantage. They can pick up where we lack. We could use cyborgs in daily life. They could pick up our houses, cook our dinners, even pick up your kids from soccer practice. Yet, they could be used for so much more. They could be the back bone of our economy. Or fight our wars with a ruthless onslaught of emotionless beings. With this comes our fear. With them being superior to us, where are we? We now stand as a lower species on this planet. Never in written history have we not been the dominant form on this planet. We speak of the possibilities, but usually with these possibilities comes fear. We have ideas of aliens from another planet. We never picture them as peaceful creatures who are primitive, but we see them as green men with excellent knowledge and ray guns ready to fire. We are just as fearful about cyborgs. To create them is to put ourselves into a submissive state. Humans have to overcome this fear. We have to realize how they can help us. We can use this technology to repair our natural falls. We could change ourselves and cure ourselves with these technologies. As we have read about before we can make additions to our bodies to improve ourselves. We can use the idea of a cyborg to aid us in adaption and evolution.
Muri's article begins with the fear that the human body will disappear. This could mean either that we will use robotic extensions so much that they take over our bodies, or that other full-bodied robots will see themselves as the superior beings and drive us to extinction. Our dumb, reactive, emotive bodies look obsolete compared to a robot who can do anything. In the far future, humanistic robots should be able to perform almost every function. Even a natural function will be copied or become obsolete. Take giving birth: robots probably will not grow other robots inside them, but they will work in robot factories making the newer versions. Films, especially, have helped perpetuate this fear. Either the human race is learning from these projected futures or we do not care and a robot-populated Earth is okay as long as Earth survives. I, personally, do not agree with this. Earth works because of natural animals. If the humans begin to die out, Mother Nature is telling us it's the end, and you cannot beat Mother Nature.
Robots are already extensions of our bodies. Prosthetic limbs, robotic vacuums, robotic assembly lines: they are all things we used to do ourselves and now we do not have to. This will undoubtedly continue in the future, but it is unlikely that the extensions will take over our bodies. It is more likely that separate full-bodied robots will see us as useless and turn the tables. Although, that is still very unlikely.
-Julianne Arnstein G4
One of the fears provoked by cyborgs and robots is the possibility of the human race being taken over or replaced by machines. Another fear is that we will be disembodied, or free from a physical form of reality. It’s a scary thought to think that people are so obsessed with creating this new type of life form, without concern of how intelligent they could become. It’s like the movie I, Robot, what if robots were created and were a norm in our society. If they felt emotions as humans do, who is to say that we would be capable of stopping them from taking over? How can we stop an invention that is known to be intelligent and advanced in certain aspects. These articles seem to relate to our discussion regarding technology as an extension of our bodies, in the sense that we seem to create new forms of technology without realizing how much of our lives depend on technology. Just look at how scared people were about Y2K. People feared that we would have computer failure, thinking that computers wouldn’t recognize the year 2000. Did anyone realize how ridiculous it is that our lives revolve around computers? Nowadays, we are obsessed with our internet, phones, ipods, etc. we don’t notice how much we depend on technology.
-Sarah Myszewski Group 3
Well, obviously, a major fear with regards to robots and technology is the Terminator. No, I don't mean Arnold Schwarzenegger walking around shooting people. What I mean is the idea that Terminator gets at - robots and computers will become so smart that they will take over the world. An uprising agaist humanity of sorts. The more technology advances, the more the fear of robotic control rises. As others have said, this fear is that robots will become the dominant race, and we humans will become subservient to them. Another similar fear in this way would be that we, as people, will become too dependent on robots, technology, computers, etc. We will evolve into a race so lazy that we just have machines do everything for us. Pretty soon we'll see a cyborg delivering milk to a house (oh yes, the milkman's coming back) or an entire office filled with robots doing the monotonous work that was once done by people who, oddly enough, acted much like robots doing boring, monotonous work. Is this the future? I mean, of course, the mere idea of Terminator or The Matrix actually happening is quite farfetched, the human race is certainly taking steps (if only small steps) in that direction. However, robots do in some cases help us quite significantly. In the realm of science and medicine, robots have allowed us to perform tasks that were previously impossible. We just have to know how and when to limit the power of the robots that we construct.
My group is that of Four.
Robots and cyborgs need one thing in order to be considered a potential danger: artifical intelligence (A.I.). Films such as The Matrix and I Robot potray what might happen if A.I. is invented and implimented. The scary thing is Honda's experiemntal robot has recently had a breakthough in which it can learn to a degree. We are getting closer and closer to such possible events. If robots become a danger to society we also must remember that it is due to a machine that humans made to begin with. So such machinery can be considered as a self inflicted danger on humans. But is there a point where this isn't true? If a machine kills at will without any control from humans and is doing so knowingly, is it self inflicted pain? If a machine cannot be controlled, can humans be responsible for it? Can the creator be blamed for an action that he did not decide upon? Robots can be as dangerous as the are helpful. Robot make cars, but can also cause harm. In South Africa a few weeks ago, a robotic anti-aircraft gun killed 15 soliders in a test run in which the robot malfunctioned. As we move in the the future should we be cautious of what robots can possibly due with out enough control?
Cyborgs scare people in two different ways. One being that we are scared that humanity will be taken over by machinery and technology we create. The second being we are scared that if humanity becomes one with technology we will lose our self-identity and only relate to the technology that runs our lives. The article “American Automatica “ discuses the creation of machinery that already has lead to multiple deaths and shows our fear that technology could be our demise. But it also discusses how technology has boundaries. Robots cannot feel emotions and are controlled by electricity and wires. But most jobs have been created to work the robotics, which means we once again rely on technology that it becomes a form of us. We start to rely on technology to complete simply tasks in life because we would find it to hard to accomplish it without that technology. It has thus become a form of us and if we tried to live without that technology it would make our lives harder.
Judith Marker
Group 1
Some things that I feel scare people about cyborgs are the technology going wild and it happening to them or a loved one. This fear is ultimately shown in the movie "The Matrix." It takes place in the far future when artificial intelligence realizes its supirior to humans and took over the human race. This is a main fear, I feel, humans have about intelligent cyborgs. The second fear humans have about cyborgs is the fear that it might happen to themselves or a loved one. It is a fear that closely resembles being obducted by aliens, some stanger taking you and putting foreign objects in your body. This topic relates to our discussion two weeks ago about the guy that is growing an ear on his for-arm.
More or less, members of the human race fear that one day, if we are not careful, the machines and robots that help make life a bit easier may turn on us and the human race will become lost in a sea of machinery or that humans will cease to exist as they do now, and rather become extensions of machines themselves. Becoming cyberborgs, part human, part machine. The human race as we know it would be forever altered. Would it be for the better? The collected fears of certain humans feel it would be a most horrible scenario. If by some cruel act of fate, the world is completely run by machines, humans would no longer have any worth. For a while, this world would be a luxury, but soon the luxury would wear thin and the question of human purpose may come to thought. If suddenly humans didn't have a purpose on Earth, then their existence would be unnecessary. Suddenly discovering that you as a person are no longer necessary isn't what I'd call a happy notion. So the fear is a somewhat logical fear, despite the very fictional sci-fi aspects to such an ideal.
Chris Ouchie
Of the 3rd Grouping
Definitely one of the most feared repercussions of developing robots and AI is the fear that our creations will rise up against us either in rebellion or because of their lack of human ethics. Either way, it is survival of the fittest and if we create something stronger than ourselves, we suddenly move further down the food chain. Another fear is that through the cybernetic modification of the body we would lose our human individuality and/or the control over or own functions. We wouldn't be able to think like humans think and the machine would be in control of us.
In relation to the discussion two weeks ago, I can see many connections. A lot of the same fears and anxieties surrounding AI and cyborgs, like lose of control, lose of individuality and humanity, and eventually our own destruction. With technology as an extension of the body we identify more and more with the extension and so we lose our own identity, this would be the same with the cyborgs and AI in this article. The disembodiment with the technological extensions is that we suddenly become dependent on these modifications and lose our contact with our own body. It is similar with AI except that AI need no body, they exist as simply as thinking entities operating through extensions that are separate from the AI entity.
Toby Staffanson - Group 4
Jon Hillbo - Group 1
Since the beginnings of modern technology, there has always been a fear of either getting replaced by our own technology, or losing our "souls" by combining ourselves with technology too much.
While it is important to aknowledge these fears in the development process, it is also important to note that these fears have been around for quite some time, and humanity has constantly adapted to fit the new technology. While it is true that technology replaces jobs, these jobs tend to be grunt work that let people have more free time to do other work. Technology has been a boom for the entertainment industry, with special effects and movies requiring massive teams of artists and programmers to put together. We even have paid jobs popping up in programs like second life. So in reality jobs themselves are not being replaced, you simply have to keep up with technology and adapt.
The religious aspects of losing one's soul doesn't bother me per se, and in fact some of the religious objections are rather funny. Back in America when lightening rods were being put to their first uses, the church claimed that they were bad because they were diverting god's wrath. Good thing those kinds of ideas have left us.... or have they?
Artificial intelligence is something that is becoming more of a reality everyday. There have been portrayals for years of cyborgs and robots that go haywire and cause ultimate destruction. I think the greatest example of this is the Terminator series. The fear of robots becoming so smart, that they surpass humans’ intelligence is frightening, as portrayed in those movies. I recall hearing of the Air Force designing unmanned airplanes that are programmed missions and go out and do so. They use their own man made intelligence to decide what is friend and what is foe. I think that if viruses can affect our own personal computers, they could also affect multi-million dollar aircraft, which can be detrimental.
Humans depend on technology so much that it has become an extension of us. In a good way, I see science and health with the help of robotics is a use in the future; Prosthetic limbs are an example that comes to mind. They are linking prosthetic limbs with nerve endings in the existing part of the body so the user can move their now replaced limb with the simple contraction of a muscle. Robots are a good tool to use in our world but are NOT a replacement, and I think if we remember that, we don’t have to worry about the T-1000 coming for us.
According to Canty and Muri's articles, the recurring fears/anxieties provoked by automata, robots and cyborgs throughout cultural history are that we as humans are scared of becoming obsolete by machines. The fear that machines will one day take over the world and we as humans will be useless. Jobs are already being taken away from many people because a machine can do their job easier, faster, and the only cost is the machine itself opposed to an hourly wage. Another fear is that if humans and machines coincide together, humans will lose their self-identity and forget where they came from. Cleary there are evolutionary advantages to this but the more important factor that scare humans the most is that without a history of where we came from, everything that was ever known will be lost. We have come to the realization that we are far different from our ancestors in the since that we depend on machines to continue the quality of life that we have and that we very well cherish. It is reasonable to think that humans and machines will always be on separate levels, in that humans will always be dominant, but it is impossible to ignore the fear that machines, robots, and even technology itself will prevail because of their ability to comprehend the human responsibilities and possibly one day excel it better than humans could ever do.
Mike Terrill
Group 4
It seems to me that common fear of automata roots from peoples general consensus on the ‘organic’ body and the mind. While the body is accepted as a living, limited, decomposing organism, bound to laws of nature and physics , the mind has a certain spiritual mystique and mysterious lack of understanding about it. While the body can die and decay, many believe that the mind and spirit move forward into new life, dimensions, and being. People do not often look at their brain from a fundamentally objective and scientific perspective. People fail to regard the brain as an organ that, in addition to other tissue and organs, makes up one whole body a It is not often viewed as what it is, a complex muscle that’s high sensory nerve activity allows us the perceive and feel the world in a acute and complex manner.
The formation of an automata is usually either the mind combining with inorganic machinery that is annexing the role of the body and replacing it as a whole, or the organic body being infiltrated by artificial intelligence. Muri’s article states that “Through a ‘will to virtuallity’ in the computer network ‘the body becomes a passive archive to be processed, entertained, and stockpiled.... [and] human intelligence is reduced to a circulating medium of cybernetic exchange’” Much of the fear that arises from the combination is a result of many people’s belief that their soul and personality is a their unique and solely their own. It is a defense of their identity. This same fear can arise we humans observe the effects of Parkinson’s disease on loved ones or the effect of rabies on animals. The general fear is not only a result of people being scared of unnatural, inorganic material, but also a fear of any infiltration of the mind and personality that in many ways makes us who we are.
Sam Slater
group 2
Two of the fears which seem to be prevalent in humans about cyborgs/automatons/robots/etc. are the fear of being made obsolete (robots are more efficient at our jobs, our menial tasks, etc. and eventually replace all of humanity), and that we fear that if we create life or a semblance of life that we are playing God and doing a darned poor job of it, because in most cultural depictions of sentient robots, they always seem to be doing some sort of uprising. Personally I find these fears unfounded, but hey, what do I know. Human augmentation is feared for many of the same reasons- when does humanity lose control of the man-made additions to themselves and become a machine? Once humans become machines, we run into the first two problems once again.
Jon Phillips
Group 03
Muri and Canty mentioned several troubling conclusions that had reappeared throughout history with regard to the robotic inclinations of technology. One of these that really stood out to me was that point of human life seeming unimportant if not useless. The example of The Matrix was given in Muri's article as that sort of worst case scenario; but anyone who actively participates in the use of modern technology is finding that computers can just do things for them. It's not necessarily a dangerous line to walk, it is however, becoming less and less foreign. There is also an issue of 'roboticizing' specific employment positions, and the negative effect it will have on the economy. This isn't a grave fear, but it is another aspect of technological change that ought to be considered. The articles also correlate with the theme of technology as an extension of our bodies, but it deems more of a take-over than support device or appendage that was mentioned beforehand. Those items, such as iPods or electronic clothing, don't seem nearly as intimidating or frightening even, probably because of sheer size.
AshLeigh Brown Group 2
Throughout the literary world two anxieties are present concerning automata, the first being that these beings would attain self awareness and also become destructive in nature. The second being that they would somehow be more efficient in their everyday workings and therefore more highly evolved and more suited to survive in this world, the anxiety of being replaced by the machine. The Prometheus complex is a theme prevalent throughout Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, also known as the Modern Prometheus. This complex can be described as the individual striving to advance science without considering the grave consequences of their actions which usually result in misery. In the Prometheus story Prometheus gave the gift of fire to humanity which resulted in his eternal punishment at the hand of the other gods. Throughout the Frankenstein story Frankenstein creates a being more human than himself, a misunderstood individual. However when he denies the creature a companion it turns on him and misery ensues. It’s a story that has been told over and over since the time of Greek mythology.
-Brian Shea 4
Peter Holzinger
Group 1
One recurring fear is that the human body is becoming increasingly obsolete compared to what technology has the ability to accomplish. Soon the functions of the human body will become irrelevant as we incorporate technology into more and more facets of our daily lives. Another fear is that our increased reliance on technology will destroy the sense of humanity through which we currently define being a person. Our discussion two weeks ago is closely linked and very relevant to these notions. Already some of the devices that almost everyone has and uses daily suggest that these fears may become actualized. Take cell phones for example. We can now instantaneously talk to anyone else who has a cell phone almost regardless of what part of the country they are in and without any lag in the conversation. Why would you ever actually go and find someone you wanted to talk to if you can just reach into your pocket and push a few buttons. Even if they are only next door or in a different part of the house cell phones provide a faster way to communicate with less effort. The body (besides the mouth for talking and hands for operating the phone)is no longer needed to transcend the physical space between two subjects who desire to communicate. While this proves to be efficient, some of the depth of the communication is lost. Facial expression and body language, which communication experts say account for a almost 90% of what is communicated during a conversation, is absent. Even if this could be incorporated using screens and live video feeds we would still be unable to physically interact with each other; to hug someone who needs comforting or punch a friend on the arm when they make fun of us. Since we still largely define our humanity in terms of physical interactions, quality of communication is lost regardless of the amount of efficiency that is gained.
Theresa Ennis
Film 115
Group 4 (Chris)
To think about these as fears is kinda funny. We as humans are turning more into cyborgs every day. We always have to have the feeling that we have to be constantly connected. Therefor we carry pda's, cellphones, computers and other items at all times.
Writing this entry reminds me of the Japanese Anime "Ghost in the Shell." We are starting to turn into empty vessels that are truing to hold on to our unique individuality.
The illogical premise of the body’s disappearance or irrelevance due to our post-modern ‘technological condition’ was made plausible, however, only by invoking traditional western literary
constructs of human spirit in religion and philosophy.
The idea that the fear of the human race merging with a race of computers and mechanical beings may be too harmful to attempt is a complete lack of faith on the behalf of human intelligence. We fear a lost sense of purpose, if we can be replaced by artificial intelligence and non-organic beings. We also fear a loss of physical existence, if a world can be run on computers, then what is a physical body good for?
However, one must remember that if we are intelligent enough to accomplish anything like this, we will also have the intelligence to balance our co-existence as well as develop something to replace what we once feared. Also, if someday it would be possible to be replaced by "cyborgs," their will most likely be an even more difficult goal to accomplish in the world of computers and artificial intelligence. These fears come from a lack of understanding, as well as a lack of will to want to see what will happen if we attempt something that could be potentially dangerous.
The human curiosities and paranoia surrounding automata and A.I. spring from the human quest simultaneously be like god and to fear him. In the Matrix their own labor saving devices to produce energy have harnessed humans. The film exposes the consequences when humans try too much to animate objects to do less themselves. However, the machines they created gained sentience and their own agendas, which required humans as a minor role. They created a mental world that rendered most humans useless but happy. In Frankenstein an irrational man believes he can create human life, assuming the role of God. Both of these scenarios outline the sins and consequences of when humans try to play the role of god. They suggest that only evil can be manifested from the products of human hands in the ways of automata. Recently cloning and the use of stem cells have provided a resurfacing of the those anxieties about the human role as creator of life.
When humans start experiementing with technology that extend the realms of the human body, such as the iPod, we grow away from our natural realms into areas of existence that frighten us. If the iPod is taken to its logical conclusion, music will be downloaded strait into an interface within the human brain. With this come the possible cyber-viruses that infect our computers.
Timothy Sienko, Group4
There has only been one fear provoked by automata, robots and cyborgs, through there conception in the human imagination, the fear of losing our humanity. It is how we shall lose our humanity that the issue divides. The two main theories are humanities destruction by robot rebellion or the gradual loss of humanity, by turning ourselves into robots. The first is the classic Hollywood fear, the inspiration for many bad movies. Allison Muri talks about this by saying, “These narratives, performances, concerns and dreams, both ironic and earnest, have all contributed to a form of anxiety about human disembodiment or evolution to a post-human state in some media or cyber-studies, most notably in the works of Kroker and Baudrillard, which in turn have influenced popular culture such as the film The Matrix.” The world of the Matrix is one entirely controlled by robots, a world where humans are suppressed and on the verge of extinction. It is a movie that best captures this fear, for in the film the human are controlled by the robots they created and they don’t even realize it.
The second fear, the fear of cyborgination, is a much more subtle fear. It is more complex because unlike the aforementioned fear, some people are for making humans more machine-like. The temptation of longer life gives us a rational that we can use to sacrifice our humanity. Just last week, we talked about extensions of our bodies. However, the question is can you extend your body so far that you are no longer human, at which point do you lose your soul.
Matt Smaglik, Group 1
Dr. Alfred Lanning: [voiceover] There have always been ghosts in the machine. Random segments of code, that have grouped together to form unexpected protocols. Unanticipated, these free radicals engender questions of free will, creativity, and even the nature of what we might call the soul. Why is it that when some robots are left in darkness, they will seek out the light? Why is it that when robots are stored in an empty space, they will group together, rather than stand alone? How do we explain this behavior? Random segments of code? Or is it something more? When does a perceptual schematic become consciousness? When does a difference engine become the search for truth? When does a personality simulation become the bitter mote... of a soul? “James Cromwell in, Alex Proyas I Robot – 2004”
Most every one has seen I Robot, The Terminator, or another movie about A.I. replacing humanity. Or us humans working so hard for a better, easier, more technologically advanced future we forget to stop and examine the now and what sinister turn of events may accrue from are lack of paying attention to are robotic, droid, digital slaves. The argument is presented that we humans are looking to make machines that will do the work we don’t want to for a us so we can have it easier when in reality, it isn’t that simply. With every new technology there is more work on our part to learn it, use it, and figure out ways to use it better or find short cuts with it. If we keep on building these machines better and better to serves us, could we be seen as the old model that needs replacing one day, maybe. The story about John Hennery going against the rail spike machine comes to mind. We humans define our selves as the creator, the machines GOD, we are necessary; we provide power, use, and even love to the machines. Could he have a possible future were a SKYNET like A.I. has control of an army of robots to take control of our world? Only using us as slaves to further help them upgrade but on their terms not ours anymore? Or instead could we be a combination of man and machine? In the future will it be so common for humans to just get an organic automation/robotic limb or organ implant? It is important to keep a constant eye on our creations, and to use our creation with respect and responsibility, you never know when they might just bit back.
I suppose that melding man and machine together for a better existence would be a great benefit to our species. But then what happens to our species does it change? Do we become something other then human or do we become man evolved? The Ghosts in the machine was an interesting topic to me, as to the quote I started this post out with. What is the soul? Could it be GODS version of random code imbedded in are organic software or something just randomly generated as we grow, change, update. When you think about all of this and our possible futures, I guess it comes down to what will most likely happen from your logic and common sense. Since most of us have this underlining fear of machines taking over we will probably keep a close eye on them especially if the government wants to put A.I. in command of all of our strategic and missile defense systems. Because we will all recall that one moment in, “The Terminator”, when Kyle takes us back in time to where he lives; in the underground sewers and life for humans seems crappy and then it gets worse when a terminator gets into the living area and starts killing all the humans, the dogs started barking, but us humans were to slow to react. Now will it be different then this possible future? Instead will the machines stay within their processing commands, stay our servants because thinking and rebelling does not compute? I think also possible because it seems more likely that us and machines will eventually meld and either become, man evolved, or a new species. I most likely will not live to see such a thing, but if it does happen would it really be so bad? If we keep an eye on it and use it responsibly.
Matt Gonia Group 1
One of the main fears that is addressed in these articles is the notion of human beings becoming second fiddle to these machines that are constantly growing more and more capable of functioning on their own whim. I recently read an article about how these Japanese scientists had created this extremely life-like cyborg. While it can only do mundane tasks, it was somewhat disturbing how real they actually looked and it reminded me of the movie Blade Runner and not being able to tell who was human and who was machine. The second fear to me seems to be the idea of humans actually converging with machine to become something completely else, and I think the idea of loss of identity if relevant here. It reminds me of the article we read about the Ipod, and how bull says we have created this extension of our bodies through this "auditory bubble" and have created "soundtracks to our lives". I think that just like the Ipod notion, a false sense of identity will most likely occur once man merges with machine.
Brian dunigan
Group 1
In Canty and Muri's articles, two anxieties and fears that are discussed include the fear of human detachment and the anxiety of humans becoming incompetent to computers. With the fear of detachment, the classic example is if we have a robot who mothers a child while the mother never forms any kind of intimate connection with the child. Here we have a child whose mother is a robot and a robot that may not be able to provide the warmth and emotional responses that a mother can.
The other fear, the fear of human incompetence in the face of technology, comes from the manner in which we view cyberspace. We view it as a means for which disintegrating the importance of the human body. As time progresses, robots take more and more of man's jobs and this leaves feelings of worthlessness in the mouths of many many people, particularly people of older generations. I believe that the notions are still the same, but what we have here is a 'break it down and build it better' concept. We destroy human flesh and then recreate it, extending and enhancing it with machine.
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