Charting the Uncanny: Form Dynamics Contingency. Part 2 of 7

How do you want to define "alive?" In the future, a robot's processing power and other technologies may make it advanced enough to not only look alive (pretend to breathe, etc) but have a personality and that sort of thing.

Something to think about.

Alive to me is beyond the obvious. Whether or not a person believes in a soul or that spark that creates life, it cannot be recreated to totally fool us. It will be a very long time after robotic humans are introduced to society that we will accept them. Many generations will have to pass by before there are generations that will just find it normal to have them in life. Still, they will lack the certain qualities of a human & lack of connection, eg: the smell that attracts people and hormones.

I still contend that such things can be reproduced. Granted, we obviously don't have the technology to do it smoothly and autonomously enough at the moment, but progression is fast. Think of the difference between the Wright Flyer, or between the Model T and a Corvette, and you'll get the perspective. Think of this Japanese robot as a Model T, and just imagine what the "Corvette" robot of 2109 will be.

As for social acceptance, I'm curious to see how that progresses. Martin Luther King 2.0?

I get the perspective. We will never know till it happens, we have come so far with technology in such a short time. But I think for me personally, I could never see something equalling the warmth, character and personality of humans and animals around us...but robots will be useful...I saw a robotic teddy bear that is used for comfort for children who are allergic to animals...that is a good robotic "alive" example. Maybe my great great grandchild's best friend will be a friendly T2.

Ditto, that.