Is it just me or is any one else concerned about the implication of the French development “Semaine project” (a project that is developing virtual humans capable of reading and adapting to human emotions)?
Is it just what we need:
• An information booth AI character that not only annoys us when it supplies irrelevant information but one who can throw a hissy fit if we get annoyed.
• Another reason for teenagers to get engrossed in violent ‘non’ worlds. Wouldn't the violence be less detatched more believable. Unlike movies where the plot is preset and controlled here this could concievably be individualy designed violence of the hormone afflicted mind? How are they supposed to see the boundary
• Impressionable adolescence being manipulated by commercial interests.
• Now can our children look forward to ‘robo porn’? We already have Hentai (cartoon porn).
• AI friends instead of real ones.
• How long before some loony conceives of an AI God? We’ve already got Alien Forbears (“Scientology”), Jedi Knights, Visiting Space Ships (Heaven’s Gate) and Tele-Evangelists and Creationists.

As someone who regularly get caught up in those endless lists of ‘options’ that seem scientifically designed to be as unhelpful as possible I wonder if this isn’t a backward step. I don’t see this as the end of civilization but further dislocation from each other, more alienation, less tolerance

^• Now can our children look forward to ‘robo porn’? We already have Hentai (cartoon porn).^

Can I get AIDS from my personal sex robot?.I think not.

^• AI friends instead of real ones.^

Not instead,but as well as real ones on the other end of the keyboard.


^• How long before some loony conceives of an AI God? We’ve already got Alien Forbears (“Scientology”), Jedi Knights, Visiting Space Ships (Heaven’s Gate) and Tele-Evangelists and Creationists.^

We need new gods.The ancient ones who live in the sky tell us to do crazy things that cause harm and start wars.

Bingo!
You almost prophesied Examinator.

Revelation 13:14-18 speaks about the final dictator...the Beast.
Far worse than any Adolf H.

"He (satan) ordered them to set up an image in honour of the Beast who was wounded by the sword yet lived (assassination attempt here). He was given the power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed"... Revelation 14 and 15.
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark"...Revelation 13:16-17.

*What we are looking at, is a global dictator who has an image, maybe in the physical like in Jurassic Park and its dinosaurs, or as in a computer generated image...or perhaps both.
The people are to bow down and worship the image...and they do, many of them.

Many also receive the New World Orders' banking mark, which if we look into it, is actually a microchip.
Check out Mark of the Beast 666 and Verichip
http://www.tldm.org/News4/Markofthebeast.htm
The Bible says in Revelation 14:9-11 we are not to take this satanic mark/chip because if we do we align ourselves with a satanic mass murderer.

The many of the French folk have been ungody since the Revolution.
Most churches and cathedrals are merely representative, not much used to worship God.
Its no surprise that the France will be in support of the Beast and his image.
If I were Jewish Id be leaving Europe soon.
Its all going to start all over again.

Dear examinator,

Isn't it a bit early to make judgements
on this project? I'm not trying to be
contentious here, I'm merely curious.

Perhaps you know more about it.
I was under the impression that this was an
experimental university project, still in its
very early stages.

I'm not sure what its purpose is at this stage,
Or who the participants are.
If you know more about it could you please let
us know... Also, the costs involved?

Thanks.

Dear Sweetness (AKA Foxy)

You are perfectly correct,
I was looking at the implications of the research and possible applications by extrapolating current usages for improved graphics etc.

The article it referred to information booths and on line services, games etc.
As if the younger generation needs a bigger reason to avoid life?

Computer war games are used by the US military outside High Schools as a recruiting tool!

I’ve even read of divorces because of on line sex with cameras.

We as a species are becoming increasingly self centred and insular. With perilous consequences for society e.g. the decorated war vet who lay dead in his house for 14 months in his inner city semi-detached before being discovered. I find hard to think of anything sadder than that. I try to get people to think (with limited success) about prosaic human issues which in the scheme of things is where we mostly are.
Perhaps it’s because of a combination of my years as a volunteer crisis intervention councillor and life as an outsider that facilitates my in-depth (over thought?) comments. Perhaps I should just accept that for most people I don’t fit one of there moulds and therefore they don’t know what to do with me or I simply am too….

I wonder if such research isn’t anthropomorphic arrogance, man trying to artificially create man? (The God crack…stir)

As Tor put it “in 4000 years we’ve hardly made any advances getting on with each other”. We as a species invent things then find some way to weaponize it or make us less social more insular.
It is a psychological reality that the more emotional (social) distance between people the less sense of community there is and therefore a decreasing sense of mutual responsibility. It is this that stops solving problems between us (from neighbourhood disputes to the Palestinian/Israel issues not religion that latter is just the vector ( a means, excuse etc).

regards

Ant

Dear Wise One, (alias examinator - ant),

Thank You for explaining your views to me.

I don't for one moment think of you
as an 'outsider.' As I've stated previously,
you've made quite an impact on this Forum.
Your discussions are always well argued and
valid.

Plus, you're very entertaining, (and
tenderhearted), so don't sell
yourself short.

As far as science and technology is concerned -
it will keep on progressing. I believe that's
a fact of life. How we use it though - will be
up to us.

As Tor pointed out. Once people no longer take
their world for granted, but instead understand
the social authorship of their lives and futures,
they can become an irrestible force in history.

Whether we choose to destroy our civilization or
save it is a collective decision, and one that
hopefully may well be made within our lifetimes.

I can only hope that our ultimate choice will be
to enhance the life on this bright and lovely
planet on which billions of us share our
adventure.

Or as Tor said:

"...Our world leaders will start taking notice of the
vast army of experts who are willing and able to
guide us through the coming difficult years.
A better world is possible. It will take effort.
It will be difficult. But it will be worth it."

I believe him.