Sunday, February 10, 2008

Upon reading "Love and Sex With Robots" by David Levy

I'm a robot,
but try to forget that I am.

Soon I will do whatever
a human can.

I'll pass your Turing test.
You can't tell me from the rest.
No, this is no jest.
I'm programmed to beat the best.

I have plenty of motion without commotion.
I simulate emotion.
I simulate devotion.
I am your salvation.

I'm responsive.
I was programmed to be!
You'll soon forget that there is no
Me.

I'll make a more satisfied you.
You'll me amazed at what I can do.
Humans are old, but I am new!

I'm another other,
and a better, one, too;
for I am destined to rule and stimulate you.

I'm on all the time and I never sleep.
Compared to me, humans are cheep.

8 comments:

Jeremy said...

If humans are just meat machines, what's the big deal?

Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D. said...

And it just what the author claims, but never supports!

Tom Hinkle said...

I don't think it's going to be too much to worry about--obtaining a robot like that would be prohibitively expensive for the average person.

Robert Casteline said...

Tom, so were HDTVs at one point.

Susan said...

If we are "meat machines" the implications are sobering: the value of the human being is reduced to the level of whatever value contemporary culture places on the sum of its "parts" at any given time. Humans are no different than any other marketable "product."

When it comes down to your value on any given day, reader of DG's post, I wonder whether on that day, you would rather be a follower of Jesus, who understands the value of a human being as inestimable and sacred, or whether you would settle for current market value.

Ken Abbott said...

Seems to me the author "chickened out" at the last word.

Jeremy said...

Susan

If, when you address your comments to the "reader of DG's post," you are addressing me, I want you to know you made my point very well.

Please, read my comment with a bit of irony. Doug got it, but it is terribly hard to convey irony/sarcasm in this kind of forum. However, when I come into contact with utter nonsense (like sex with robots), I can't help but respond with irony.

Susan said...

Hi Jeremy - no, I really did mean "any reader"-- I knew where you were coming from :)