Those of you who have seen the film Blade Runner 2049 are aware that one of the major sub-plots running through the film involves artificial companionship. IE- The creation of human like, self-aware cybernetic beings who act as intimate partners for humans.
Seeing as this technology appears to be apporoaching reality much more quickly than anybody expected, I'm curious what everyone's thoughts are on the matter. Do you believe that creating a self aware cybernetic being imprinted with the disposition to bond with a certain human being would be a good thing? Or do you believe that it would be too much like playing God?
Discuss.....
DOUGNOSTIC WROTE.....
I think that there's a danger in cybernetic humanoids developing intimate relationships with humans, because the continuation of the human species depends on real relationships between humans. I posted on this topic on Facebook recently, and an article on Breitbart was pretty relevant:
WEBBEW 1 REPLIED.....
Well, the dynamics of procreation and child rearing would certainly change in that type of society. Insemination would be more likely to occur in a lab while child rearing would be far less commonly done by both biological parents. This, of course, assuming that an organic human and an inorganic life form will never be able to procreate together, given the vast differences in make up.
As for the Breitbart article, it presumes that only men would be interested in this type of dichotomy, and I don't agree with that. The market for sex toys for women is considerably larger then it is for men. I believe that if most women had the opportunity to have their favorite romance novel character in their bed every night while still being able to have children of their own outside of the traditional means, they'd jump at the chance.
RAITLIN WROTE....
We humans have very good imaginations. We pretend that cats and dogs have levels of emotions that they probably don't. We personify nearly anything that shows any sign of autonomy. Although there will be early adopters, all technology will gradually advance until we are talking with machines, eating with machines, working side by side.
We created all of the gods, so what is to stop us from being creators?
Self Aware... That is where all the ethics change.
We were "made" by our parents but are not owned property, because we are self aware.
WEBBEW1 REPLIED.....
That would seem to imply that humans will never have the technology to develop an autonomous creation which is really self aware, but only mimics self-awareness. Given the recent massive leaps in the development of quantum computers, I can't say that I agree with you. After all, our brains are really nothing more than highly complex organic quantum computers.
Our first self aware creations are likely to be inorganic. Made from microscopic silicone chips capable of carrying and sharing huge amounts of information back and forth at incredible speeds. Just like our organic brains, only with a different catalyst.
As for humans creating other organic, self-aware beings (other than through traditional means), that technology appears to still be far off in the future.
We humans have very good imaginations. We pretend that cats and dogs have levels of emotions that they probably don't. We personify nearly anything that shows any sign of autonomy. Although there will be early adopters, all technology will gradually advance until we are talking with machines, eating with machines, working side by side.
We created all of the gods, so what is to stop us from being creators?
Self Aware... That is where all the ethics change.
We were "made" by our parents but are not owned property, because we are self aware.
Although it feels creepy right now, eventually it won't.
Evolution does not pick good things or bad things... So why would an unguided, spontaneous order, technological evolution?
Good thing for us as humans? Probably, it is ethically no more than taking a puppy from its family and imprinting it on us.
Good thing for the mental health of those who fall in love with silicone chips? That would be such a case by case question... There are many suffering all kinds of loneliness, so I can't dismiss there is a possibility to alleviate much human suffering.
I suppose it all depends upon the long term cost, I individually, and as a society. The law of unintended consequences is mean bitch.
I saw Blade Runner 2049, and thought it was interesting.. I saw the original Blade Runner several times in the theater when it came out in the '70s, so I was curious to see what they would do with this sequel.
I think that there's a danger in cybernetic humanoids developing intimate relationships with humans, because the continuation of the human species depends on real relationships between humans. I posted on this topic on Facebook recently, and an article on Breitbart was pretty relevant:
[breitbart.com]