Essay 1 Wall-E is a movie produced by Pixar depicting Earth being unhabitable by humans and the use of robots to clean, filter, and find life, in the form of something that can photosynthesize, so humans can once again return to the planet. Robot Ethics is quite the opposite in terms of the targeted audience, which is definitely not children, to explain what it would take to make a robot harmless or completely natural in a societal setting. Wall-E implies that robots can learn compassion and formulate their own thoughts/override their programmed system given their individual situation. Although, in Robot Ethics, Lin, Abney, and Bekey state that not one individual robot can differentiate good from bad because robots are either meant to be a “landmine” or a caregiver. This can lead to the assumption that either Wall-E is just a fictional movie for children or it sends the message that the technology we have now is not advanced enough to create such a robot and it will be in the far future before we do …show more content…
The main character Wa1l-E has an outrageous fascination with the Hello Dolly musical and seeks companionship with a significant other as portrayed through his Ipod. Eve (E-Vah) is sent to detect plant life on what is left on the landfill, which is Earth. Wall-E craves Eve’s attention, even though she almost kills him at least three times before recognizing that he is absolutely no harm to anything. Throughout the movie, they are faced with many trials that only grows their bond as a team/companions. In the end, after they complete their quest to overthrow the “bad” robot and return to Earth, Eve is only wishing to fix the remnants of Wall-E. Since this is a children’s movie, there was indeed a happy ending and a complete role reversal for Eve who went from almost annihilating to completely rebuilding/saving
Ilya Varshavsky’s “Perpetual Motion” is the story of humanity’s relationship with technology. During a human council meeting, where humans superficially decide how their world will function, Class A robots demand equality with humanity. The human council is initially appalled, but after these robots explain they will supplement their labor with the labor of a new race of robots humanity grants their wish. Twenty years later, during a Class A robot council meeting, the topic of equality for Class B robots is introduced in a similar manner to the way Class A freedom was discussed. In order to grant equality to Class B robots, the Class A robots discuss the need to teach humans how to survive without them. They resolve to teach humans how
.... By comparison, Pixar contrives a more exultant ending. Humanity has now been restored to earth, and the two robotic companions, Eve and Wall-E, fall in love as the story ends. In conclusion, humans being overly dependent on technology can be evident in both dramatic stories; this is because the authors overstress the extravagant yet possible outcome due to overuse of technology. “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity” (“Brainy Quotes” 1).
Imagine having a grandparent in a nursing home. They have dementia, and not many other family members can make time to come visit often. Thus, loneliness ensues, so the head of the nursing home decides that it would be wise to use a robot pet to soothe their pain. Alarmingly, they believe the robotic companion is a real animal, and the nursing home workers have been advised not to tell them otherwise. Does this seem ethical? How would the loved one feel if they find out that the animal is, in fact, a computer inside of a furry robot exoskeleton coded to show love and attention? These computerized companions were invented purely for fun. Others are used to soothe the elderly. One of the first in the world of these pets, a robotic seal named Paro was created after over a decade of work and millions of dollars in investments. They are coded to show love and companionship, designed for kids and older people alike. Robotic pets are unwelcome because they don’t teach responsibility to children, can isolate others from human interaction, and can be unnerving to others.
Then, we learned to identify the thesis for the article “Autonomous Robotic Technology Could Pose A Serious Threat to Humanity” by Wendell Wallach and Colin Allen. The instructor showed us a reading about “Ethos, Pathos, and Logos” and instructed us how to use them effectively. From there, I started to develop some of the argument that I could use in my
Gattaca and Wall-E fall into unit three, which includes technology, dystopia, and ideology. These films take place in the future where technology has become extremely relevant to the characters everyday lives and it majorly effects society. Over the course of the films, the different aspects of technology, both positive and negative, are portrayed very clearly. While Gattaca and Wall-E have some differences, they both exude the themes of technology and social ethics in a relatively similar manner and conclude that while technology can be helpful, it can also have monstrous social ramifications.
First Law: A robot must never harm a human being or, through inaction, allow any human to come to harm.
In the introductory part of Wallach and Allen’s book, they present three essential issues, one of them is “does the world need AMAs?”(p.9) Wallach and Allen give a positive answer, they believe that with the rapid development in new technology and mechanization, intelligent autonomous robot begin coming into our lives, AMAs may bring a variety of ethical and social issues, in support of artificial intelligence, to human society. This makes the AMAs show a certain degree of harm to society. However, the development of AMAs cannot be stopped because some futurists and social critics are criticizing the issues in the future technology of AMAs may arise. Facing the importance of risk assessment in the progress of building AMAs, they seek “precautionary principle” from ethics to regulate the AMAs, and point out that there should be a standard to use or not use those ethical principles. (p.52) conditionally assessing risk using appropriate methods, and use this basis to reassess the danger of developing AMAs is greater than risk or not. Wallach and Allen maintain an optimistic attitude about the future, they believe in the near future, “It will be possible to engineer systems that are more sensitive to the laws and moral considerations that inform ethical decisions than anything presently available.”(p.214) in view of this, Wallach a...
“This pathology of mechanization involves the robotic pursuit of efficiency and regularity, automaton-like rigidity and conformity, and an approach to life that is unemotional, apathetic, and lacking in spontaneity. Critics charge that the computer metaphor of the mind in AI research is dehumanizing because computers lack our flexibility, emotion, and capriciousness”(Haslam 2006). Since we have technology it has made it so much easier to dehumanize someone. It makes it easier because all we see when he are being brutally cruel to someone is a picture, this results in no emotion towards what we are doing to someone. The world is trying to stop bullying and dehumanization when in a way they are helping those who are dehumanizing
Asimov’s robots can be described as clumsy, hard-working, cost-efficient, soulless, strong, fast, obedient, human-made, a cleaner better breed, more human than man.
“Robbie” by Isaac Asimov is a short story that takes place in 1998. When this story was written in 1965, the futuristic elements were extremely profound and one could see how the reader might agree with Asimov’s interpretation of the future. His world is detailed, including news events about manned Mars missions, futuristic technology, a technological code of ethics, or the ‘Three Laws of Robotics,’ and convincing personal relationships. However, Asimov got it backwards. Many elements in his world are still science fiction today and while robots do exist in 2010, Asimov’s robots are far more advanced in some areas and far more deficient in others. Although Asimov’s world contained many convincing elements, it was ultimately flawed and suggests that mankind’s predictions of the future are not always accurate.
This simple sound design shows the difference between an old robot who clunks around and a sleek new robot who can hover. Another difference shown is in their voices. Wall-E’s voice is very choppy and is almost similar to how a very strong auto-tune might sound, but Eve’s voice is more tranquil. Their emotions are relayed differently as well. When Eve is happy she laughs, sounding almost normal, which is another nod to her modernity.
Lin, N. G. (2012). Robot Ethics : The Ethical and Social Implications of Robotics. Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press.
In today's society, robots come in different types and qualities, and robots’ use was mainly in the laboratories and factories; however, that has drastically changed where their uses are changing at a high speed. In addition to that, they have spread throughout the world. The main function of robots is to replace the work that people used to do, or perform tasks that man cannot. A robot is a mechanical or virtual device that uses a computer program, or electronic circuitry, to carry out its functions. In modern science, robotics refers to the study of robots is robotics, which deals with designing, constructing, operating, and using robots and computer systems for controlling and processing information and providing feedbacks. However, as much as robots replace human labor, individuals or organizations can use them in dangerous environments that might be harmful and beneficial to humans. Therefore, to understand the logic behind the creation of robots, one should learn the pros and cons of robotics, in the current society. This is because people are using this technology without having a deep understanding of its effects. However, an objective evaluation of the use of robots, in the modern society, shows that they have a positive influence on human beings, but if the robots were overused, it could lead to a negative side. which shows why human beings should use robots wisely that will result an improvement to their societies and own lives. Robots have become interactive equipment whereby they have become part of human life. In this regard, people use them directly or indirectly to enhance the quality of their lives. However, Sharkey argues that there are ethical issues that arise because of using robots to enhance hu...
7. Robots, Ethics & War. (n.d.). Center for Internet and Society. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2010/12/robots-ethics-war
To conclude, robots could be the backbone of the society that will result in a technological revolution. Because of robots various characteristics that do not experience fear, nor exhaustion and they are precisely programmed, which make them able to help in case of need, housework, and factories production. Society needs to put the issue of robots into consideration to satisfy any shortage exists in the world.