4 ms·

Would You Shoot R2-D2 in the Face?

14 points by edent 13y ago

mda 13y ago
Not R2-D2 but definitely would shoot C3PO.
mjolk 13y ago
I don't even know what hackernews has become.
Cthulhu_ 13y ago
Pretty sure we'd start associating bleeping domed bipeds (and from time to time tripeds) with fear and death as soon as they arm them and start shooting people. And teletubbies have always been terrifying.
TeMPOraL 13y ago
This post has a point. My gut reaction to the Boston Dynamics video at t=35s? Disguist. "Why would you treat a creature with such disrespect and hate?". Of course I know that was to demonstrate how dynamic stabilization of the robot works, but it really felt like he was kicking a dog.
- downer87 13y ago
  Bah! I feel the extreme total opposite. When he kicks the robot, I'm deeply disturbed by the fact that the robot is undaunted. I've always chalked it up to an uncanny valley reaction. The buzzing noise of the on-board 2-cycle engine (power generator?), combined with the freakish, threatening movements raises my hackles every time. Every time I see robots like Big Dog, I feel a visceral instinct brewing within me, prompting me to find ways to annihilate them with rocket propelled grenades.
JonnieCache 13y ago
I think R2D2's voice is the key. It's the burblings of a baby, put through the almighty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_2600 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_2600 Obviously this is a sound we're programmed to respond sympathetically to, even after the processing.
- edent 13y ago
  That's interesting. I hadn't considered how close it is in pitch & sound to a baby's cry.
- writtles 13y ago
  Very true! Also, it's pretty clear that R2 demonstrates conscious personhood so "he's" much more than Big Dog already.
crusso 13y ago
How long before vindictively destroying your robot pet is tantamount to animal cruelty with the legal connotations? How long before turning off and deleting an AI is murder? This is all stuff that scifi has been considering for a long time.
cema 13y ago
Only if it has a face.
dethtron5000 13y ago
This reminds me of some of the tactics suggested by the First Earth Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Earth_Battalion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Earth_Battalion) which was profiled in the book/movie "The Men Who Stare at Goats." The organizers of that suggested that soldiers should parachute into conflict zones carrying baby animals to disarm (figuratively and literally) enemies.
mseepgood 13y ago
Daleks look cute as well, yet I would kill them without a blink of an eye.

14 points by edent 13y ago

mda 13y ago

Not R2-D2 but definitely would shoot C3PO.

mjolk 13y ago

I don't even know what hackernews has become.

Cthulhu_ 13y ago

Pretty sure we'd start associating bleeping domed bipeds (and from time to time tripeds) with fear and death as soon as they arm them and start shooting people. And teletubbies have always been terrifying.

TeMPOraL 13y ago

This post has a point. My gut reaction to the Boston Dynamics video at t=35s? Disguist. "Why would you treat a creature with such disrespect and hate?". Of course I know that was to demonstrate how dynamic stabilization of the robot works, but it really felt like he was kicking a dog.

downer87 13y ago
Bah! I feel the extreme total opposite. When he kicks the robot, I'm deeply disturbed by the fact that the robot is undaunted. I've always chalked it up to an uncanny valley reaction. The buzzing noise of the on-board 2-cycle engine (power generator?), combined with the freakish, threatening movements raises my hackles every time. Every time I see robots like Big Dog, I feel a visceral instinct brewing within me, prompting me to find ways to annihilate them with rocket propelled grenades.

JonnieCache 13y ago

I think R2D2's voice is the key. It's the burblings of a baby, put through the almighty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_2600 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_2600 Obviously this is a sound we're programmed to respond sympathetically to, even after the processing.

edent 13y ago
That's interesting. I hadn't considered how close it is in pitch & sound to a baby's cry.
writtles 13y ago
Very true! Also, it's pretty clear that R2 demonstrates conscious personhood so "he's" much more than Big Dog already.

crusso 13y ago

How long before vindictively destroying your robot pet is tantamount to animal cruelty with the legal connotations? How long before turning off and deleting an AI is murder? This is all stuff that scifi has been considering for a long time.

cema 13y ago

Only if it has a face.

dethtron5000 13y ago

This reminds me of some of the tactics suggested by the First Earth Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Earth_Battalion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Earth_Battalion) which was profiled in the book/movie "The Men Who Stare at Goats." The organizers of that suggested that soldiers should parachute into conflict zones carrying baby animals to disarm (figuratively and literally) enemies.

mseepgood 13y ago

Daleks look cute as well, yet I would kill them without a blink of an eye.