I dunno if this has been discussed, but I find it an interesting read. They had something about it on Comedy Central the other night either on Stewart or Colbert.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21271545/

The idea of romance between humanity and our artistic and/or mechanical creations dates back to ancient times, with the Greek myth of the sculptor Pygmalion falling in love with the ivory statue he made named Galatea, to which the goddess Venus eventually granted life.

This notion persists in modern times. Not only has science fiction explored this idea, but 40 years ago, scientists noticed that students at times became unusually attracted to ELIZA, a computer program designed to ask questions and mimic a psychotherapist.

"There's a trend of robots becoming more human-like in appearance and coming more in contact with humans," Levy said. "At first robots were used impersonally, in factories where they helped build automobiles, for instance. Then they were used in offices to deliver mail, or to show visitors around museums, or in homes as vacuum cleaners, such as with the Roomba. Now you have robot toys, like Sony's Aibo robot dog, or Tickle Me Elmos, or digital pets like Tamagotchis."

In his thesis, "Intimate Relationships with Artificial Partners," Levy conjectures that robots will become so human-like in appearance, function and personality that many people will fall in love with them, have sex with them and even marry them.

"It may sound a little weird, but it isn't," Levy said. "Love and sex with robots are inevitable."

Sex with robots in 5 years
Levy argues that psychologists have identified roughly a dozen basic reasons why people fall in love, "and almost all of them could apply to human-robot relationships. For instance, one thing that prompts people to fall in love are similarities in personality and knowledge, and all of this is programmable. Another reason people are more likely to fall in love is if they know the other person likes them, and that's programmable too."

In 2006, Henrik Christensen, founder of the European Robotics Research Network, predicted that people will be having sex with robots within five years, and Levy thinks that's quite likely. There are companies that already sell realistic sex dolls, "and it's just a matter of adding some electronics to them to add some vibration," he said, or endowing the robots with a few audio responses. "That's fairly primitive in terms of robotics, but the technology is already there."

As software becomes more advanced and the relationship between humans and robots becomes more personal, marriage could result. "One hundred years ago, interracial marriage and same-sex marriages were illegal in the United States. Interracial marriage has been legal now for 50 years, and same-sex marriage is legal in some parts of the states," Levy said. "There has been this trend in marriage where each partner gets to make their own choice of who they want to be with."

"The question is not if this will happen, but when," Levy said. "I am convinced the answer is much earlier than you think."

When and where it'll happen
Levy predicts Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize human-robot marriage. "Massachusetts is more liberal than most other jurisdictions in the United States and has been at the forefront of same-sex marriage," Levy said. "There's also a lot of high-tech research there at places like MIT."

Although roboticist Ronald Arkin at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta does not think human-robot marriages will be legal anywhere by 2050, "anything's possible. And just because it's not legal doesn't mean people won't try it," he told LiveScience.

"Humans are very unusual creatures," Arkin said. "If you ask me if every human will want to marry a robot, my answer is probably not. But will there be a subset of people? There are people ready right now to marry sex toys."

The main benefit of human-robot marriage could be to make people who otherwise could not get married happier, "people who find it hard to form relationships, because they are extremely shy, or have psychological problems, or are just plain ugly or have unpleasant personalities," Levy said. "Of course, such people who completely give up the idea of forming relationships with other people are going to be few and far between, but they will be out there."

Ethical questions
The possibility of sex with robots could prove a mixed bag for humanity. For instance, robot sex could provide an outlet for criminal sexual urges. "If you have pedophiles and you let them use a robotic child, will that reduce the incidence of them abusing real children, or will it increase it?" Arkin asked. "I don't think anyone has the answers for that yet — that's where future research needs to be done."

Keeping a robot for sex could reduce human prostitution and the problems that come with it. However, "in a marriage or other relationship, one partner could be jealous or consider it infidelity if the other used a robot," Levy said. "But who knows, maybe some other relationships could welcome a robot. Instead of a woman saying, 'Darling, not tonight, I have a headache,' you could get 'Darling, I have a headache, why not use your robot?' "

Arkin noted that "if we allow robots to become a part of everyday life and bond with them, we'll have to ask questions about what's going to happen to our social fabric. How will they change humanity and civilization? I don't have any answers, but I think it's something we need to study. There's a real potential for intimacy here, where humans become psychologically and emotionally attached to these devices in ways we wouldn't to a vibrator."

Levy is currently writing a paper on the ethical treatment of robots. When it comes to sex and love with robots, "the ethical issues on how to treat them are something we'll have to consider very seriously, and they're very complicated issues," Levy said.

Levy successfully defended his thesis Oct. 11.

1/21/2008 9:24:46 PM

The thought of someone having sex with a robot child deeply disturbs me. The rest of it doesn't really matter to me. It's not like people will ever legally be able to marry robots anyway (OK, never say never, but, yeah, never).

Wasn't there a video of a guy on here who was totally in love with his sex doll and basically considered her a real person? It wouldn't be that much of a stretch for a lot of people if they started really acting like people. Reminds me of an episode of the Twilight Zone where a guy falls in love with a robot.

1/21/2008 9:32:51 PM

if they are gonna create something that allows you to have sex with a robot thats adult age then i dont see the problem with letting someone fuck a robot thats a child


my reasoning is the idea of fucking a robot adult is just as creepy as fucking a robot child


thats my opinion

1/21/2008 9:35:13 PM

I mean, I guess my issue with it is that having sex with a child is really fucked up, so making a "socially acceptable" alternative is kind of wacky.

1/21/2008 9:37:09 PM

i think the entire concept of adults fucking robots is wacky...therefore either its all ok or none of it is for me

1/21/2008 9:43:57 PM

I read someone married a pig or something so anythings possible.

1/21/2008 9:47:30 PM

1/21/2008 9:54:39 PM

You got cliff notes for all that shit?

1/21/2008 10:00:09 PM

^

people are gonna fuck robots. robotic men will be programmed to put the seat down. robotic women will be programmed without the ability to speak. pedophiles will be locked up with robotic kids.

1/21/2008 10:14:05 PM

moldies

1/21/2008 10:23:28 PM

http://www.realdoll.com

1/21/2008 10:30:02 PM

Why would you need to marry it? Would your robot cheat on you if the government and God don't say it's acceptable? Are you going to pay in a different tax bracket just to marry a robot? Or will your robot actually work and make you money too. Marriage is stupid, fucking it...well, women and men already fuck machines and shit, so why not.

1/21/2008 10:33:35 PM

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7714940296885574087&hl=en

1/21/2008 11:15:44 PM

^^i still don't understand why we tax people differently depending on if they're married or single... but that's another thread.

1/22/2008 1:23:31 AM

I really don't know what to think.

I mean, if the robots are that lifelike and realistic, then I am not so sure that is not "cheating". I know that might sound stupid, but what defines cheating? Having intimate relations with someone else because your partner is not living up to your expectations? I know it sounds stupid, but how easy would it be to know your wife/girlfriend was in the next room banging a robot because you can't satisfy her physically, or perhaps even worse, emotionally?

I'm not saying I wouldn't try it though.

1/22/2008 1:52:34 AM

^
where do you draw the line between vibrator and sex robot?




(sex with robots might be nice, but I'm waiting for zero gravity sex )

1/22/2008 4:07:11 AM

^Zero gravity sex? What's exciting about that?

And there are obvious differences between a robot and a vibrator. I believe that anyone with a basic understanding of what a robot is and what a vibrator is can draw the line quite easily. I'm too tired to waste my time explaining. Your question is kind of stupid.

1/22/2008 4:40:03 AM

Quote :

"The thought of someone having sex with a robot child deeply disturbs me. "

rofl, so are we talking robots that look like children or robots built less than 18 years ago?

1/22/2008 6:36:28 AM

if robots are allowed to go work and make money etc.. polygamy!

1/22/2008 9:57:37 AM

furry robots

think about that

1/22/2008 10:08:03 AM

1/22/2008 10:09:17 AM

It doesn't matter how lifelike a robot looks, it will never be a human. There is a big difference between having sex with someone who you love and who loves you and wants to be intimate with you then with someone who has no feelings for you at all. If a robot is programmed to have sex with you, then obviously it just isn't the same. It doesn't want to be with you. It doesn't want anything.

1/22/2008 10:16:22 AM

Quote :

"What's exciting about that?"

I haven't done it yet, that's what

sorta like the mile high club, except in this case, it'd be the 300 mile high club

also, if you had enough space, different sex positions might make you start to spin or something

not to mention there'd be new positions, impossible with gravity

iow, it has incredible novelty value, it would be the biggest sex novelty

wouldn't you try it if it was affordable?

Quote :

" I believe that anyone with a basic understanding of what a robot is and what a vibrator is can draw the line quite easily."

ha, it was supposed to be a joke

and then someone would say, "if a vibrator has ai, is it a robot?" and such....

1/22/2008 10:16:51 AM

What will they call it when an adult has sex with a boy robot like David...

Robophilia? A robophile?

1/22/2008 10:39:29 AM

God can you imagine having sex with an appliance. The concept is so weird.

1/22/2008 10:47:05 AM

no its not.

1/22/2008 10:47:52 AM

- What if someone rapes your robo-wife/husband? What will be the repercussions?

- Can you abuse your robo-wife/husband? Will they call it mechanic violence?

- Are you allowed to divorce your robo-wife/husband ?

- Or better yet, just get your robo-wife/husband to take out the loan, credit, mortgage... that way you don't have to worry about it when you divorce your robo-wife/husband.

- Maybe one day, robo-wives can bear children (i.e. test tube baby).

- Maybe one day, robo-husbands won't watch sports all weekend.

- Steven Spielberg is amazing.

1/22/2008 11:05:48 AM

Quote :

"'Darling, I have a headache, why not use your robot?'"

ahahahaaha what the fuck is wrong with people

1/22/2008 11:46:22 AM

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=114678&title=future-shock-robots

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 12:27 PM. Reason : ]

1/22/2008 12:26:01 PM

1/22/2008 12:29:15 PM

Quote :

"It doesn't matter how lifelike a robot looks, it will never be a human......It doesn't want to be with you"

I think this is a very good point

and is another reason why I'm putting my money on Orbiting Orgasms™

Quote :

"What if someone rapes your robo-wife/husband? What will be the repercussions?"

nothing, well, maybe property damage or tresspassing

Quote :

"Can you abuse your robo-wife/husband? Will they call it mechanic violence?"

I'm not sure you technically violate your own [non-living] property

Quote :

"Are you allowed to divorce your robo-wife/husband ?"

of course you are -- this is america

1/22/2008 1:14:44 PM

haha we talked about weird shit like this in my ethics class especially when we watched blade runner

1/22/2008 3:12:01 PM

1/22/2008 3:20:02 PM

1/22/2008 3:25:56 PM

Somebody has gotta have sex with the fats and the uglies ...

1/22/2008 3:48:49 PM

Silly.

1/22/2008 3:56:19 PM

robots are finite. Therefore, I disagree with:

Quote :

"Levy argues that psychologists have identified roughly a dozen basic reasons why people fall in love, "and almost all of them could apply to human-robot relationships. For instance, one thing that prompts people to fall in love are similarities in personality and knowledge, and all of this is programmable. Another reason people are more likely to fall in love is if they know the other person likes them, and that's programmable too.""

Although the human mind is also theoretically finite, the division can be drawn in a physical manner with a robot (300GB edition). You can't program life. Because life is infinite. We are finite beings living in an infinite world with an infinite amount of knowledge... making the 300GB drive on a robot a little... mechanic.

Therefore, most will be unable to fall in love with a robot.

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 4:07 PM. Reason : .]

1/22/2008 4:06:44 PM

1/22/2008 4:09:55 PM

damn i was just about to post that

haha

1/22/2008 4:16:34 PM

Quote :

"You can't program life."

Why not? I assert that robots will be as smart as people within a few decades. They will be people, basically.

1/22/2008 6:58:54 PM

Colbet interviews the author of the book. Hilarious.

http://gizmodo.com/347233/love-and-sex-with-robots-author-on-colbert

1/24/2008 11:29:16 AM

Quote :

"if a vibrator has ai, is it a robot?"

1/24/2008 11:57:13 AM

Funny interview.

Anyone here plan on having sex with robots?

1/24/2008 12:55:51 PM

Quote :

"God can you imagine having sex with an appliance. The concept is so weird."

Frank Zappa.

1/24/2008 1:14:47 PM

It looks like a telefunken u-47

1/24/2008 1:36:13 PM

YES!

1/24/2008 1:39:15 PM