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December 18, 2007
David Levy's Robots Unlimited (Life In A Virtual Age) explores love, sex, and reproduction among and between humans and robots, as well as the ethical issues raised in having sex with robots. Robots here means androids - robots designed in a humanlike form:
In this interview Levy says:
As long ago as the late 19th century there were manufacturers, in Paris and elsewhere, who made artificial vaginas and even whole artificial bodies, designed specifically to provide substitutes for the female genitals and thereby to allow fornication. These products were known as "dames de voyage" (ladies of travel) and were particularly recommended for use by sailors during long periods at sea. The sex robots that I envisage will, of course, employ 21st rather than 19th century technology, but the basic idea is the same.
Levy's argument is that computers will think, feel, and experience life differently than human beings, but not less authentically. Robots will not only learn to solve our algebra problems but also help us with our love life, and the time will come when humans will even marry robots. Robots will have distinct personalities, and will be allowed to choose between good and evil--just like humans.
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