Gods & Robots

Generally speaking, I am impressed by what has been mentioned in the book. It has never come across my mind that those automatic mechanic installations can be one of the origins of the modern robot industry. Below are some thoughts popping up when reading the chapter.

1. “Self-operating devices resembling living beings could be used to amplify human capabilities, to dazzle and awe, to trick and deceive, to injure and kill. Automata could serve as trappings and manifestations of power, sometimes in benign ways but other times with malicious intent” (Adrienne 180).

Thoughts: This reminds me of the traditional plots of hundreds of soft sci-fi. Where the robots serve as the tool to help the authority or the monopoly high tech companies to maintain a man-made non-sense social order. From my perspective, I think this similarity might arise from the common fear of intelligence dictatorship. We never really solve the problem of the imbalance of social resources, not in the past, nor now, and perhaps not in the future. If the situation goes to an extreme, this fear will become true one day. I think that’s also the reason why we often call tech a double-edged sword. The same logic can also be applied to robotics as well. But at least, I do believe that despite all kinds of “potential problems”,  we should focus on the present and robotics will definitely make this world a better place to live in.

2. “A pattern stands out in these and other myths about devices made to inflict pain and death: each artifice was commissioned and/or deployed by a despotic ruler, as a means of displaying arbitrary absolute power” (Adrienne Mayor 180)

Thoughts: This points out one crucial element in the ancient or modern robotics industry, which is the capital. In ancient times, only gods and kings have the resources to build such complicated mechanisms. Likewise, nowadays, high-tech companies invest a lot in building robotics with a certain function and there are only a few of them can afford this huge fee. But the difference is we, ordinary people have access to and are able to enjoy the research outcomes of these robotics. While in ancient times it may be only owned by the king or god.

3. “But even more striking, the bulls of Rhodes were ingeniously manufactured to bellow. The bull sentries served as signal horns—they “bellowed loudly to warn the Rhodians of the approach of enemies.”14 A configuration of tubes in the bulls amplified the voices of human watchmen stationed on the mountain. It is not impossible that the Brazen Bull of Acragas was perversely designed with similar pipes to transform the victim’s screams into bellowing sounds” (Adrienne 187).

Thoughts: Again, this supports the idea mentioned in the first quotation with a more concrete example. Robotics can be really useful for human beings, but they can also be dangerous and cruel. This is totally up to the controller. As far as I know, there are more regulations undergoing discussed, on whether should the manufacturer of the robot take responsibility when an accident happens or should the controller be blamed for that. This is definitely worth taking time to figure out the answer and will 100% help the robotic industry to grow in the future.

4. “The purpose of the cells is unknown; some suggest a medical function, while others propose a magical or ritual use. In Craddock’s speculative scenario, if the jars were really electrical cells and were hidden and activated somehow inside a metal statue, the figure would seem charged with mysterious life and power. Anyone who touched it would be awed by a sensation of warmth, a strange buzzing vibration, and perhaps even a subliminal blue flash of light in a darkened chamber” (Adrienne 190)

Thoughts: Electricity is beyond the knowledge of ancient people. So it might also be the energy source of the whole installation. People are amazed because they have no idea about what it is. Similarly, when the transformer first comes out, kids are persuaded that the magic energy does exist and that’s what is the fuel of all the transformers. This reaction is amazing, even though we often claim we have evolved so much during centuries, we still have the same reaction as our ancestors!