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Before the Muppets and Sesame Street, pioneering puppeteer Jim Henson worked on commercials. As the Youtube caption explains, “Jim Henson made this film in 1963 for The Bell System. Specifically, it was made for an elite seminar given for business owners, on the then-brand-new topic — Data Communications. The seminar itself involved a lot of films and multimedia presentations, and took place in Chicago.”

This robot seems to be a know-it-all, a do-it-yourselfer, but still requires a helping hand from a human off stage. A good thing, too, because it would appear that this robot is ready to take over the world.

Think about all the science fiction movies that you have seen or heard of. In both 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Terminator series,  self-conscious machines seem intent on exterminating our species. The machine-like Daleks of Dr. Who also seem intent on our “extermination.” The cybernetic Borg of the Star Trek series and Cybermen of the Dr. Who franchise kindly inform everyone they come in contact that they will be “assimilated” or “upgraded” and that “resistance is futile.”  On the other hand, we also have Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation who expresses the wish to be more human. We also have characters such as the replicants from Blade Runner who simply hope to live a long, fulfilling life. That film in particular shows that we humans are actually the antagonists. Lastly, fans of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy may recall poor Marvin, the Paranoid Android, who seems to believe that he was created with the singular purpose of suffering.

Steel engraving for frontispiece to the revised edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, published by Colburn and Bentley, London 1831.

Back in 1818, with the English publication of Frankenstein, Mary Shelly seems to have been the person to have gotten the conversation started in the first place. Though she was only 21 years old, Shelly gave the world a novel that would inspire theorists, novelists, filmmakers, and the general public for years to come. In her novel, an obsessive doctor creates a living organism with dead tissue, then abandons the creature out of fear. It is a story about the consequences of taking on the role of God. It is also about child abandonment and the alienation of the Other in society. And, of course, it is a fascinating story that still speaks to us.

One day, we may overcome the challenges that the field of Artificial Intelligence presents us with and create a sentient artificial life form—a machine that can wind itself up. Before then, we can ponder the issues related to artificial intelligence. Here are a few questions you might wish to consider:

  • What would be the purpose of an intelligent, autonomous, self-aware machine?
  • Why are there so many stories about robots wishing to kill us? What is the appeal of such stories?
  • Why are there so many stories about self-aware robots in the first place?
  • What are the benefits of having a robot for a friend?

Finally, speaking of Jim Henson and Muppets, have you heard that The Muppets received an Academy Award nomination in the category of Best Song? Because of the presence of Muppets at the Academy Awards, this may mean that, for once, the Oscars will actually be fun to watch! Hooray!

Here is the song:


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Last question: Do you think robots would ever struggle with the same sort of existential quagmire that men and Muppets sometimes find themselves in? If so, would they sing about it? Consider writing a song for robots.