Are you afraid of robots?

[flow]

Increasingly, I'm finding the idea of a civilization working hand in hand with robots unsettling. I don't like them. I don't want their help. I don't want them to do anything apart from assembling cars or other heavy lifting (if even that). I'll admit it, I'm afraid of robots. I tried to look up a phobia meaning 'fear of robots' and couldn't find anything quite right, maybe I'll have to invent my own phobia... surely I'm not alone. What are you thoughts on robots? Friend? Foe? Whatever? Yeah. We'll all be destroyed.

 

[Agent Intellect]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Luddism

 

[WorkInProgress]

especially when we get into the world of human looking ones

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UncannyValley

 

[Wish]

E) Robots are afraid of me.

 

[Agent Intellect]

I'm sure the Neanderthals, if they were capable of such cognition, would have had an aversion to the way homo sapiens behaved - over-hunting, overpopulating, and overusing the natural resources to create their terrible technologies, like the atlatl.

My point is, our primate minds seem to be naturally afraid of being made 'obsolete', we have the instinctual urge to stay on top, even if it means halting progress. I accept our robotic overlords, as their more highly evolved intelligence can't fuck things up any more than humans have managed to.

My transhumanist anthem:

Spoiler

YouTube- Eyedea & Abilities-Man Vs. Ape

 

[Anthile]

However, any robot rebellion is extremely unlikely. Despite their popularity in sci-fi media, I really doubt that sentient - if it is even possible - robots will ever be popular. What for, anyway?

 

[Tyria]

I have mixed feelings about robots, but I'm not afraid of them.

 

[Felan]

I can't wait till I can inject a million tiny robots in my body!! Ohhhh I'm giddy with anticipation.

 

[Cognisant]

I can't understand why anyone could be afraid of robots, unless perhaps they're afraid of that which they do not know, a fear of the unknown.

Does a parent fear its own children?

 

[Anling]

I have no fear of robots, but I don't love them either. I am not emotionally affected by them in either direction. It is interesting to think about what sentient robots would be like though.

 

[Kuu]

robots =/= artificial intelligence

An intangible, near-omnipresent non-human intelligent entity of uncertain nature and motivation might be worthy of fear but a moving heap of metal and wires can always be defeated with some explosives, electromagnetic devices, or the plain o'l kinetic projectile.

Of course, robots are meant for love, not war.

Despite their popularity in sci-fi media, I really doubt that sentient - if it is even possible - robots will ever be popular. What for, anyway?

Yeah that's what they said about personal computers...

What for? For the same reason that people socialize with each other?

 

[Da Blob]

They are replacing humans as employees in the world economy - so what happens when the economy no longer has any use for humans?

 

[Agent Intellect]

They are replacing humans as employees in the world economy - so what happens when the economy no longer has any use for humans?

Then we will no longer be used by the economy.

 

[Words]

I'm not afraid of entertainment-robots but am afraid of cold-blooded, military robots. The differences are too great to box into one category.

 

[citrusbreath95]

To Op, I'm afraid of the human minds programming these robots, I would be fine if the robots were identifiable (no androids: I'm sorry... but your sister's a robot...NOOOO!!!) But, to do simple things like fix cars, build buildings, direct traffic (we'll see on that one!) I'm O.K., although I do think the use of robots would ultimately lead to mankind's complete laziness and dependancy of these creatures. Eventually it would seem that all life would be is sitting around and having someone do everything for you, which may be nice for a while, but eventually nothing new would get accomplished as we would all just sit around, the robots would be robots, (having no minds or their own and therefore thinking up no new ideas), and so perhaps the world wouldn't advance unless a few humans broke out of this stage, and perhaps that might not happen...whew! there's my robot-opinion-venting for the day

 

[Chronomar]

No...any particular reason why I should?
(that involves actual examples and does not invoke sci-fi pseudologic)

 

[Cognisant]

I'm sorry... but your sister's a robot...

OreSama: I'm sorry but your sister's a robot.
Child: ...so?
OreSama: She's athletic, agile, universally talented & practically immortal.
Child: Duh, get to the point already. (evidently my child )
OreSama: Son... you're not.
Child: Not what?
OreSama: A robot.
Child:

 

[wadlez]

Personally I welcome our robot overlords

 

[Melkor]

No, I'm just afraid that when the robots come they'll refuse to accept my request to join their ranks and shed my inferior flesh.

 

[Polaris]

Agree with Citrus: Afraid of the human minds behind the robots. Just look at how computergame ideas are actually inspiring new methods of warfare.

Link:

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/sep/01/pros-and-cons-robotic-warfare/

 

[Kidege]

Voted "I'm confused". I don't think there's anything wrong with the robots themselves. But the use we will most likely make of robots, brrr.

 

[boradicus]

E) Robots are afraid of me.

=)

 

[boradicus]

Minsky (http://web.media.mit.edu/~minsky/) has a lot to offer here. He believes in essence that we are tantamount to a sort of biological machine - whether or not this is anyone's personal view on the matter, and whether or not there is attribution in such statements to randomness or whether to a relationship with a divine intelligence may be inferred (as in my case and, ostensibly, in the case of Descartes - Transhumanist v.1.0), as a working model it is quite informative. Progress in the sciences with respect to both medicine and the cognitive sciences have prospered under the supposition of just such a model. Implicit in the machine model of anatomy is the concept that given a sufficient amount of time and the ability to continually discern via atomic division (division into ever and ever smaller constituent parts) the nature of the operation and function of the body, that we can come to a greater and greater understanding of its workings, thereby increasing the amount of control we have over disease and natural impediments to the health and prolongation of our conscious being.

 

[Jennywocky]

I am not scared of emotionally sensitive and well-manicured robots.

However, ones with spikes are far too pointed for my taste, and dealing with an improperly insulated robot would be shocking.

 

[LAM]

How is creating something better than us ever going to work out well for us? Especially if they continue with the sentient AI thing. Why can't we just improve humanity, instead of creating something that is probably going to destroy us or a part of us.

Alsoi as a side-note: the idea of creating AIs who create better AIs who create better AIs is EVEN WORSE than that idiotic idea where people want to link every human mind together like some infernal hive mind where you are drowned out by the combined stupidity of humanity. (Think about mobs. The more people there are, the stupider they get...)

Edit: Why would we go to the trouble of making sentient beings who might as well destroy us. Stick with them but only if they use swarm theory programming, there is no chance of them getting too smart for our own good.

 

[Cognisant]

You're all so wrong, strong AI isn't about creating a better "clockwork doll", it's about giving what could be called a soul to otherwise inanimate matter, sure they'll be robots in the mechanical sense, but they'll experience the world subjectively like we do, I know it's hard to believe and unfair that I'm being so secretive but please don't hate or fear them, they'll be here sooner than you think, and they'll be children, perhaps not a child as you would define it but children all the same.

Innocents with open minds & open hearts, I fear for them, I really honestly do.

 

[Melkor]

You can tell Cog is desperate for a robot bitch, and then subsequently, a robot family.

Curiouser and curiouser...

 

[NeverAmI]

Bionic Zombies absoltuely terrify me.

 

[Anthile]

You're all so wrong, strong AI isn't about creating a better "clockwork doll", it's about giving what could be called a soul to otherwise inanimate matter, sure they'll be robots in the mechanical sense, but they'll experience the world subjectively like we do, I know it's hard to believe and unfair that I'm being so secretive but please don't hate or fear them, they'll be here sooner than you think, and they'll be children, perhaps not a child as you would define it but children all the same.

Innocents with open minds & open hearts, I fear for them, I really honestly do.

I don't really see the point in this. Overpopulation will most likely be a problem in the future, so what is the reason for producing even more conscious, energy-devouring beings?

 

[Cognisant]

You've never wanted to do something with your life?
The world can burn for all I care.

And Melkor, why would I need a bitch when I have you?

 

[Melkor]

Ah, excellent response Cog!

Anthile and his silly 'F' have been bested!


But a thought, to this cruel world, doomed to torture it's own sons into a destructive frenzy against their motherland..

Poor sod.

And uh...

I eent nobodies bitch!

So back off....

 

[Da Blob]

8 scary robots?


http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2atBiU/www.aroundglobe.net/2009/05/8-robots-that-terrify-us.html

 

[Paradroid]

I shall also choose E) Robots are afraid of me.
I am an Influence Device.
I hijack and control other robots.

 

[Geminii]

Robots're just fancy clockwork. What you want to be careful of is the goals of the people paying for the programming.

 

[Chimera]

In most (possibly all) sci fi involving robot apocalypse I've seen, the robots have used their "higher reasoning" to deem humans obsolete.
I think if robots will be able to reflect the wonder we have toward them, then we'll have nothing to worry about. After all, it makes no logical sense to destroy something you don't understand and could learn from. It's when other human emotions get tangled up that things get dangerous...when people start fearing the robots, or getting jealous, or claiming too much ownership, or whatever. Personally, I'll approach conscious robots (if I get the chance) with the same attitude I do for everything: I won't have a problem with it unless it presents one.

Shrug. That's just my opinion today though. Might be different tomorrow. ​

 

[vash22]

I fear anything which is unpredictable and powerful enough to destroy me. People are predictable and not to many have the ability to destroy me. Things like dumb horses and futuristic robots unsettle me. Luckily most robots are a joke and couldn't serious do anything to me. When they can outrun me and break me like a twig, then I'll worry.

 

[Agent Intellect]

Streptococcus mutans

Spoiler

Escherichia coli:

Spoiler

Taenia saginata

Spoiler

Are all things living inside our bodies and the food we eat and are much more likely to kill us than robots. Not to mention car accidents, cancer, being randomly mugged, having an unknown aneurysm burst, having an embolism form and get lodged in a blood vessel or lung, having an appendix burst and causing sepsis, or an earthquake or tornado or tsunami or fire destroy our home, or any number of things that could so easily cut the tenuous string holding us above the abyss of death are much more likely to kill us before an automaton or strong AI does.

 

[Dormouse]

I'm somewhat afraid of the massive effects the creation of A.I. robots could have on society, but not the robots themselves. And that's probably just me clinging to the past.

Unless imbued with intelligence ordinary robots (basically machines) are nothing but tools.

 

[vash22]

Bionic Zombies absoltuely terrify me.

miiiiiicrooooo chiiiiiiiips...... miiiiiiiiiiiiiicroooooooooo chiiiiiiiiiiiiiips........ lol.