> So to me, it makes sense that as we understand something more, being able to predict what and why it does something, the less likely we are to think of it as

> So to me, it makes sense that as we understand something more, being able to predict what and why it does something, the less likely we are to think of it as having some sort of inner being. Pretty much the opposite with respect to pets and humans we are acquainted or intimate with. The sheer speed with which computers change (the modern automated update cycles) might be a counter to any impulse we have to anthropomorphize them. Even with animals we are much more likely to anthropomorphize longer-living animals than shorter living ones. This could even be something like a survival mechanism - don't become emotionally attached to something with you only a brief while.