[NetBehaviour] Scientists add emotions to robotic hea

[james of jwm-art net]

I find it disturbing the notion we might exist without bodies. And the
idea that consciousness can be extracted from the body seems
counter-intuitive, or simply ridiculous. Recent research (sorry can't
recall) suggests neural networks extend outside of the brain (for
instance the eye, retina);

the body is instrumental in human thought too.

And have they not seen the film AI?



On 24/11/2008, "Simon Biggs" <s.biggs at eca.ac.uk> wrote:

>I agree we need a change in our minds. But this raises a key question ­ what
>are our minds, where are they located? If you accept the conventional
>understanding on this (minds are in our head¹s and a function of our brains)
>then we have to await evolution for change. However, evolution is a very
>slow process, even allowing for sudden mutation. Whilst it is true that an
>organism can experience sudden mutation, that might be immediately
>successful, it then takes many, usually hundreds, of generations for it to
>feed through to a shift in the species. Thus I doubt we will see any general
>change in our lifetimes ­ or those of our children, grandchildren or
>their¹s.
>
>However, if you understand that mind is only incidentally linked to the
>brain, perhaps taking a radical Foucauldian view (the mind as social
>instantiation), then we might not need to wait for evolution to work its
>powerful but slow force upon us (unless you are a Social Darwinist). Society
>can change quite quickly, as we have seen in both the distant and recent
>past.
>
>Personally I think mind is composed of both of these elements (and then some
>more) - in which case it is anyone¹s guess as to what will happen.
>
>Does that make me a post-humanist? I guess to be that you have to be a
>humanist in the first instance ­ and I know I am not a humanist. I prefer to
>take a non-anthropocentric view of the universe and where value may be
>found.
>
>Regards
>
>Simon
>
>
>On 24/11/08 16:45, "marc garrett" <marc.garrett at furtherfield.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Simon,
>> 
>> One thing that I know I am not for sure, and that is a post-humanist.
>> 
>> Although, I do know those who feel that human evolution involves moving
>> away from the (supposed) restrictions of our bodies.
>> 
>> Yet, I feel before we can even venture in this form of direction, we
>> need to move into improving our minds first - which of course, would
>> take a very long time looking at what is happening around the world...
>> 
>> marc
>>> > Check out Stelarc¹s take on this
>>> >
>>> > http://thinkinghead.edu.au/
>>> >
>>> > Regards
>>> >
>>> > Simon
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On 24/11/08 16:01, "marc garrett" <marc.garrett at furtherfield.org> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >   
>>>> >> Scientists add emotions to robotic head.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Claiming that service-class robots will one day be pervasive,
>>>> >> researchers at the University of the West of England's Bristol Robotics
>>>> >> Laboratory (BRL) have begun investigating ways to make robots seem more
>>>> >> human.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Just as PCs are now common in households, workplaces, and parts of our
>>>> >> environment, BRL expects "service-class" robotic devices to become "a
>>>> >> pervasive element of our future society." This will represent a "huge
>>>> >> opportunity for life enhancement and commercial exploitation," the lab
>>>> adds.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Typical occupations for tomorrow's robotic underlings are expected to
>>>> >> include:
>>>> >>
>>>> >> * Aids for the elderly
>>>> >> * Domestic servants
>>>> >> * Tour guides
>>>> >> * Hotel porters
>>>> >> * Non beer-drinking "assistants" on construction sites
>>>> >> * Leisure/gaming robots
>>>> >> * Numerous military roles
>>>> >> * "...and so on"
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Since service-class robots will occupy environments that contain people,
>>>> >> there's a fundamental need for them to interact in an easy and natural
>>>> >> manner with their human companions, BRL notes.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> more...
>>>> >> http://www.deviceguru.com/scientists-add-emotions-to-robotic-head/
>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>> >> NetBehaviour mailing list
>>>> >> NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org
>>>> >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
>>>> >>     
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Simon Biggs
>>> > Research Professor
>>> > edinburgh college of art
>>> > s.biggs at eca.ac.uk
>>> > www.eca.ac.uk
>>> > www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
>>> >
>>> > simon at littlepig.org.uk
>>> > www.littlepig.org.uk
>>> > AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number
>>> SC009201
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >   
>>> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> >
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>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
>Simon Biggs
>Research Professor
>edinburgh college of art
>s.biggs at eca.ac.uk
>www.eca.ac.uk
>www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
>
>simon at littlepig.org.uk
>www.littlepig.org.uk
>AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk
>
>
>Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201
>
>
>
>