Robots

[Zeke365]

what are your thoughts on robots and Christians should we fear them or expect them for some odd reason I grew a fascination of them here a couple of examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GowHFaVk4NU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N1Q8oFpX1Y

thoughts not sure what to make of them since there neither bad nor good.

[IPv4]

what are your thoughts on robots and Christians should we fear them or expect them for some odd reason I grew a fascination of them here a couple of examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GowHFaVk4NU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N1Q8oFpX1Y

thoughts not sure what to make of them since there neither bad nor good.

imo robots are nothing but useless garbage unless their made specifically for some kind of factory. Not even vacuum-cleaner robots (which has existed in japan for decades) is very practical and costs quite a bit. However I havent seen much more than vacuum-cleaner robots. I assume you ask whether we should fear robots in the future, and well, I dont cuz an AI will probably never think properly "outside the box".

That an AI cant think properly outside the box is shown in new games today which are very similiar to those AIs which is in games from the 90s.

edit: there are ofcourse cool examples of robots as well, like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC2TTslf_YM. Still rubbish though.

[Dante]

Robi seems like a bit of a ripoff of NAO

http://youtu.be/nNbj2G3GmAo

In the last two years, robotics has undergone a huge shift. It's almost a perfect storm of disruptive technologies, that includes the prosumer economic model, the internet of things and a steady advance in technology. Now, keep in mind that most of these rapid changes are still more theory then practical, but there is a sense in the community that technology is undergoing transformation, and we're seeing the first 'early adapters' today. Part of this change has occurred because technology has simply become more accessible. Much of the hard work is now wrapped up in a python import statement or a ruby gem and you no longer have to work for a month to buy a computer capable of 'experimenting on' - you just buy a beagle bone black for $50 and it even comes with handy ports for plugging wires into. Most modern AIs also rapidly disseminate across the community through technology packages such as SciKit Learn, which allows regular programmers to implement complex algorithms for problem solving without even comprehending how they work. Instead, they simply have to know which algorithm is used for what. These, mind you, are rather weak models for intelligence, but if the Human Brain Project succeeds, you will likely see more advanced models borrowed from nature to solve our problems. When you combine all these things together, you start to approach the point where robotics becomes accessible by the educated class of the world for fun and not as a massive project requiring millions of research dollars and as their projects multiply and interact, you start to get freely available, highly useful, technology to those who know how to implement it.

That's a big deal, but is it something we should fear as Christians? Well, I really can't see much of a reason why we should fear robotics and besides, we've all benefited from automation for years anyways. NAO may seem like more of a 'robot' then a printer, but really, a printer is a perfect example of robotics in everyday life. Now, you can do all kinds of things with a printer and most people probably take it for granted, but I doubt Christians should fear their printer (unless your Amish, but then you're probably not reading this anyways). So, why fear NAO or other robotics? They're simply tools to use... at least until we start giving them sentience (at which point, they'll just incorporate to get the status of person-hood for themselves ).

[Peanut]

There isn't anything I can think of in terms of robotics or AI that should be concerning to Christians specifically. Christians believe in the idea of an immaterial soul given from God that makes us human. An AI by nature of being made by humans cannot have this so any claims that an AI is alive or human is completely ridiculous. The only other concern I can think of is that by creating an AI that matches human intelligence very closely, we will somehow prove naturalism completely right. I don't think you can jump to this conclusion simply because its been programmed to act like a human so any sign of humanness isn't really natural to it.

[Anirac]

As a Christian I just don't fear. Robots will be what you make them to be.

[Nate]

I will make a robot to be my gf and then it will be my gf and I will no longer suffer tfw no gf.