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The word "robot", coined in the 1920s, came from a Czech word for forced labour. Since before computers even existed, we've been asking ourselves whether we've
by advisedwang 4y ago
The word "robot", coined in the 1920s, came from a Czech word for forced labour. Since before computers even existed, we've been asking ourselves whether we've crossed that ethical line. And so far the answer has always, correctly, been no.
We should keep asking ourselves that question, seriously and honestly. But while the answer is "no" lets keep developing.
- dougmwne 4y agoOh that is so interesting! I always thought robot was a false cognate with the Polish word for doing/working. I knew it couldn’t have been a loan word even though the meanings felt oddly connected. Turns out it was a loan word after all, just in the other direction!
- adrian_b 4y agoThe original meaning of the word "rob" in the Slavic languages was "slave". From it, words sounding more or less like "robota" were derived, which designated what a slave does, i.e. forced labor. Centuries later, in some of the Slavic languages the word "robota" (with slightly different pronunciations from language to language) or words derived from it, evolved to mean work in the general sense, not only forced work.