I thought a discussion of the future robots would be the last in my discussion of AI but I realized as I wrote it that I couldn\’t walk away without a post for Teddy.![\"Related](\"https://kottke.org/plus/misc/images/super-toy-teddy.jpg\")
Teddy was like an external conscience. He gave (oft-ignored) suggestions for safety, he warned David of do\’s and don\’ts. However, as a voice of reason inside a creaking teddy whose timber was similar to grinding metal, it was often tough to imagine really attending to him.After all, he was downright creepy.But to have a conscience outside ourselves that could walk and talk … is that something we will have to prepare for in the future?I do hope not …
The question begs another: if we’re have need for an external conscience, then does that not mean we have lost our humanity and filled the void with mecha?
Oooh! What a wonderful esoteric question! I love it!