Time Machine Symposium

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analysing the ethics and social status of robotics in popular culture time machine: symposium

Transcript of Time Machine Symposium

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analysing the ethics and social status of robotics in popular culture

time machine: symposium

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introductionThis assignment will be investigating the topics of modernity, modernism and post-modernism in

relation to the social perception of robots in particular examples popular culture.

Sources to be used to inform this assignment include the book, Modernity, Modernism and Post-Modernism by Terry Eagleton, for an in-depth and detailed explanation of the three topics, as well as

the article From Modernism to Post-Modernism from NewSchool.edu for the same purpose. The assignment will also be sourcing information from Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot, mainly for its ideas

concerning the Three Laws of Robotics and also a paper by Robert A. Frietas Jr. named The Legal Rights of Robots, which addresses concepts surrounding potential real world laws which may be

developed with the advancement of robotic technology. Another source to be referenced is the book Robot Ethics by Patrick Lin, Keith Abney and George A. Bekey, for its detailed analysis of various

ethical and social implications that come from the growing presence of robotics in society.

The assignment will be taking information and topics discussed in these sources and applying them to a selection of historical and contemporary examples of robots in popular culture.

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key ideasModernityDeveloping the Modern World and the Human Race

Robots Serving Humanity, Considered Lesser“Robots do not hold on to life. They can't. They have nothing to hold on with — no soul, no instinct. Grass has more will to live than they do.” (Kapek, 1920)

Post-ModernismSurpassing the Modern World and the Human Race

Robots Surpass Humanity, Considered Greater“Naysayers believe there could come a time when these cunning creatures understand us better than we understand ourselves and they will manipulate us – maybe even replace us.” (Pelletier, Unknown)

ModernismPerfecting and Refining the Modern World and the Human Race

Robots a Part of Society, Considered EqualTwenty years ago Hilary Putnam at Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the first to address the issue of the civil rights of robots. “It seems preferable to me that discrimination based on the softness or hardness of the body parts of a synthetic organism seems as silly as discriminatory treatment of humans on the basis of skin color.” (Frietas Jr, 1985)

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cultural context Ideas around robots and robotics have been present in history prior to the 20th century and many examples of robot-like machinery can be found in the stories of Hephaestus and his robot servants in Greek mythology. More modern ideas of robotics were established following the industrial revolution, a period which strived to develop technology that sustained, and potentially surpassed, humanity, alongside ideas of Modernity and the hopes of a future that was nothing less than a technological utopia.

As these ideas became more prevalent in the developing world, as did ideas of ethics and robot rights, most notably displayed in Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. Recent ideas of robotics and technology in popular culture have come as a result of the rapid advancements in computing technology. It has reached the point where the planet rests on computers and technology, although negative aspects such as reduced privacy and cyber-crime have come along with these advances.

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historical examples

Karel Capek’s Rossum’s Universal Robots 1920

Fritz Lang’sMetropolis 1927

Isaac Asimov’sI, Robot 1950

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contemporary examples

Ridley Scott’sBlade Runner 1982

James Cameron’sThe Terminator 1984

Doctor WhoThe Cybermen 2006-Present

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key individuals

Karel CapekFirst User of the Term,

Robot and Author of R.U.R.

Fritz LangDirector of Metropolis

MariaFrom Metropolis

Isaac AsimovWriter of I, Robot and

Creator of theTerm, Robotics

Ridley ScottDirector of Blade Runner

Philip K. DickAuthor of Do Androids Dream

of Electric Sheep?

James CameronDirector of The Terminator

Russell T. DaviesKnown for Reviving Doctor Who

The CybermenFrom Doctor Who

Robots to Serve

Humanity

Robots Equal to

Humanity

Robots Surpassin

g Humanity

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conclusion

-When pursuing ways in which to further the Human race, there is a point at which this desire is the race’s undoing-The Human race desires to create more realistic, more human robots, but still wishes to view them as a separate entity-Creating a robot for a purpose brings with it an equal amount of ethical implications as treating it as an individual

-As time has progressed, the social perception has shifted from ideas of a mechanical utopia to that of a world of fear

-Ideas of robotics surpassing humanity have developed alongside real world advances of technology

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bibliographyEagleton, T. (2000). Modernity, Modernism and Post-Modernism. [online] At: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AXqYozbscbQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false (Accessed on 27.03.12).Sources

Asimov, I. (1950). I, Robot. [online] At: http://nullfile.com/ebooks/(ebook)%20Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20I,%20Robot.pdf (Accessed on 27.03.12).Frietas Jr, R.A. (1985). The Legal Rights of Robots. In: rfrietas.com 13.01.85 [online] At: http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/LegalRightsOfRobots.htm (Accessed on 27.03.12)

Unknown (2007). From Modernism to Post-Modernism In: homepage.newschool.edu 16.11.07 [online] At: http://homepage.newschool.edu/~quigleyt/vcs/postmodernism.pdf (Accessed on 27.03.12)

Lin, P, Abney, K and Bekey, G.A. (2012). Robot Ethics. [online] At: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oBb-lt3l4oYC&pg=PA329&dq=robot+rights&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4NpwT4bmMceL8gOJ5ayFCw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=robot%20rights&f=false (Accessed on 27.03.12).QuotesCapek, K. (1920). Rossum’s Universal Robots. [online] At: http://preprints.readingroo.ms/RUR/rur.pdf (Accessed on 27.03.12).

Frietas Jr, R.A. (1985). The Legal Rights of Robots. In: rfrietas.com 13.01.85 [online] At: http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/LegalRightsOfRobots.htm (Accessed on 27.03.12)Pelletier, D. (Unknown). Robots Will Surpass Human Intelligence by 2030, Scientists Say. [online] At: http://positivefuturist.com/archive/47.html (Accessed on 27.03.12).Historical ExamplesCapek, K. (1920). Rossum’s Universal Robots. [online] At: http://preprints.readingroo.ms/RUR/rur.pdf (Accessed on 27.03.12).

Metropolis. (1929). Directed by Fritz Lang [N/A] Germany: Universum Film.Asimov, I. (1950). I, Robot. [online] At: http://nullfile.com/ebooks/(ebook)%20Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20I,%20Robot.pdf (Accessed on 27.03.12).Contemporary Examples

Blade Runner. (1982). Directed by Ridley Scott [N/A] USA: Warner Bros.The Terminator. (1984). Directed by James Cameron [N/A] USA: Hemdale Film Corporation.Doctor Who: Series 2, Episode 5. (2006). BBC One: 13 May. 19.00 hrs.

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list of illustrationsKarel Capek’s Rossum’s Universal Robots 1920. (c. 1936) [Poster] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/R.U.R._by_Karel_%C4%8Capek_1939.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).

Fritz Lang’s Metropolis 1929. (c. 1927) [Poster] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Metropolisposter.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot 1950. (c. 1950) [Book Cover] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8e/I_Robot_-_Runaround.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner 1982. (c. 1982) [Poster] At: http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/188768.1020.A.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).James Cameron’s The Terminator 1984. (c. 1984) [Film Still] At: http://images.pictureshunt.com/pics/t/the_terminator_robot-11361.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Doctor Who The Cybermen 2006- Present. (c. 2006) [Promotional Image] At: http://images.wikia.com/tardis/images/3/33/Cyberman2006.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).

Historical Examples

Contemporary Examples

Karel Capek. (c. 1936) [Photograph] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Karel-capek.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Key Individuals

Fritz Lang. (c. 1950s) [Photograph] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0e/Fritz_Lang.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Maria from Metropolis. (c. 1929) [Film Still] At: http://www.jeffbots.com/maria-large.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).

Isaac Asimov. (c. 1965) [Photograph] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Isaac.Asimov01.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Ridley Scott. (c. 2007) [Photograph] At: http://www.wired.com/images/article/magazine/1510/ff_scott_580_f.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).Philip K. Dick. (c. Unknown) [Photograph] At: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/85/PhilipDick.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).James Cameron. (c. Unknown) [Photograph] At: http://www.palzoo.net/file/pic/user/James-Cameron.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).

Russell T. Davies. (c. Unknown) [Photograph] At: http://media.avclub.com/images/articles/article/30869/russell-davies_jpg_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).The Cybermen. (c. 2006) [Promotional Image] At: http://images.wikia.com/tardis/images/3/33/Cyberman2006.jpg (Accessed on 24.03.12).