Would you marry a robot?

[Showmeproof]

I forgot which magazine I was reading, but some professor wants to make it legal to marry robots. He professes that eventually robots will be so advanced, that one can marry one. Though, I am sure there are limitations, like no vagina, breasts or penis lol. Anyway, he states that it is better to marry a robot, than to be alone. I guess that makes sense to a certain extent. Still rather freaky to me. Any opinions on this topic?

I bet Robocop would get all the chicks if this idea catches on.

[plumjam]

Looking back, I think I had a lot of robot girlfriends. I can't be sure, but they were forever accusing me of turning them off.
Yes, it's all starting to make sense now.

[technoextreme]

I bet Robocop would get all the chicks if this idea catches on.
Robocop was a cyborg though.. The distinction is very big between the two.
My google foo is good. Dr. Levy is the mans name. All I had to search for was professor legal marry robot.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/robot-sex/people-of-massachusetts-to-be-having-sex-with-robots-by-2012-310568.php

[Showmeproof]

Robocop was a cyborg though.. The distinction is very big between the two.
My google foo is good. Dr. Levy is the mans name. All I had to search for was professor legal marry robot.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/robot-sex/people-of-massachusetts-to-be-having-sex-with-robots-by-2012-310568.php


Yes, thats it:). Thanks a lot.

[technoextreme]

Yes, thats it:). Thanks a lot.
Your welcome. It's oddly enough not the first time it's been mentioned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6200005.stm

[X]

Vending machines are everywhere, and lonely.

[balrog666]

Does the robot look like this?

http://static.flickr.com/6/69124025_45ab0677bb.jpg

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

A Marilyn Monrobot would totally score over EIGHTY megafonzies on the Cool-O-Meter.

Heck: I'm almost married to my computers now, anyhow. (If only one of them could COOK...)

[shadron]

This theme (and related) has been big in SF for quite a long time. Asimov, of course, does intelligent robots, and there's always Cherry2000. There's Data ("completely compatible...") and Lore on STNG. Pournelle did a very powerful Hammer's Slammers short story on this theme. As far as I'm concerned, why the hell not? There's all the advantages of Marilyn Monroe and a Chia pet rolled up into one.

[hecaterin]

Marriage is a relationship between consenting adults, right?

So if your robot is advanced enough to have a genuine AI capable of deciding for itself, then sure, but only if the robot consents. Otherwise it's a toy. You don't get to marry toys. Not even sex toys.

[Sunstealer]

One advantage of marrying a robot is you'd at least have one of these free with every model.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/410391822_2f8d71d9ff.jpg

[learner]

I'm all for it. Does any one remember the girls that "entertained" the holidaymakers in the film Westworld. Make em like that and Il be queuing up.

[shadron]

Oh, heavens, that reminds me - I forgot that it would involve that stupid "marriage is between one man and one woman" schtick. Religious thread after all.

[rjh01]

This thread reminds me of the movie Lars and the Real Girl (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/)

[Winston]

Hmmm.. several ideas to follow here.

Legal: Unless the robot has legal rights, marrying with it could not happen (Bicentennial Man)
Emotional: Who defines what happiness is?
Ethical: If "outgoing concern for the welfare of another" can be programmed in a machine, are we obligated then to return that love?
Moral: Assuming the robot has self awareness that makes it a sentient being (yeah, the definitions here are tricky) then does it have a right to choose its own destiny? Also in the moral line is should we allow inter-species relationships as a norm (assuming that the robot is a "new species").
Utilitarian: Would marriage between humans and robots improve the quality of life for enough people to warrant it as a good?
Evolution: So if we can not reproduce with them, but robots have the capability to build copies of themselves then is this just the end of our species?

Fun topic with no immediate consequences! I LOVE IT!

[I Ratant]

Sex with a robot would be proscribed by the Catholic Church.
Not a prayer of any offspring!
It would be considered masturbation.
For me, the bot would have to jiggly and soft and warm and all those things real women are.
For just sex alone, video porn and 8x10 glossies achieves the same results, without having to wine and dine and dress up.

[Neutiquam Erro]

"Would you marry a robot?" My wife would say she already did.

[Denver]

What would be the difference or advantage of marrying one, versus just owning one?

[Jimbo07]

Though, I am sure there are limitations, like no vagina, breasts or penis lol.

wait... why not? :eye-poppi

[Loss Leader]

I would absolutely marry a robot if, by "robot," you mean "Natalie Portman," and, by "marry," you mean "marry."

[Tanstaafl]

How did we get to 20 posts here without Piscivore weighing in???

[plumjam]

How did we get to 20 posts here without Piscivore weighing in???

He got his Psicivore Jr. stuck in the hoover.

[Correa Neto]

"The Tin You Love to Touch", 1951, Robert Bloch.

Of course, one could add Metropolis...

[Loss Leader]

"The Tin You Love to Touch", 1951, Robert Bloch.

Of course, one could add Metropolis...

And Cherry 2000

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

Marriage is a relationship between consenting adults, right?

So if your robot is advanced enough to have a genuine AI capable of deciding for itself, then sure, but only if the robot consents. Otherwise it's a toy. You don't get to marry toys. Not even sex toys.


Alan Turing: Hey, sweetheart... how about you and I...

Turing Testee: Sorry, but I have a headache.

Alan Turing: Now, don't get testy, Testee...

Testy Testee: No, means NO, Alan!

Alan Turing: Oh, but I so want to taste your lips and stroke your hair.

Tasty Testee: Why you calculating....

Alan Turing: Don't blame me, baby - every time we kiss, it's electrifying.

Turing Tastee: I know - I've got this bad ground-fault...

Alan Turing: AHA! You're TOAST!! MACHINE!!!

Tiring Toastee: <<sigh>> Oh, DRAT - you always win. What next? The shirt of the shoes??
...and where did you ever get the idea for a game of, "STRIP Turing Test?"

[Gord_in_Toronto]

And Cherry 2000


The Mechanical Bride, by Fritz Leiber.
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1041

(by the protagonist's ex girlfriend) ...Men don't want real women anymore. You and I are behind the times, Chernik. We stil believe in love. But most men just want beautiful, brainless robots. That's all my man really wanted. He didn't want me to have a will of my own. He didn't want me to be alive...

[mhaze]

I forgot which magazine I was reading, but some professor wants to make it legal to marry robots. He professes that eventually robots will be so advanced, that one can marry one.

Why would a robot want to marry a meatbrain?

[arthwollipot]

For just sex alone, video porn and 8x10 glossies achieves the same results, without having to wine and dine and dress up.Nope, not the same.

[Winston]

According to some the VCR revolution was driven by porn.
According to some the Internet revolution was driven by porn.
And we are now asking how the Robot revolution will be driven?

*** scratches head ***

I'll have to think about that one.

[fagin]

I'm a Kiwi - as soon as they make robot sheep.....

[BenBurch]

Wouldn't want to marry one, but I really could use Rosie the Robot to keep house around here.

[Mr. Scott]

http://www.tvparty.com/spotpix16/living.gif

"My Living Doll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Living_Doll)" TV series from 1964/5:

My Living Doll was an American comedy television series that aired for 26 episodes on CBS from September 27, 1964 to September 8, 1965. The series starred Bob Cummings as Dr. Bob McDonald, a psychologist who is given care of Rhoda, a life-like gynoid (played by Julie Newmar) in the form of a sexy, Amazonian female, by her creator, a scientist who did not want her to fall into the hands of the military.

Rhoda's real name was AF709, and she was a prototype robot that Dr. Carl Miller built for the U.S. Air Force. When Dr. Miller was about to be transferred to Pakistan, he gives his friend, Air Force psychologist Bob McDonald the job of completing the education of the sophisticated (yet naive) robot. Bob's job is to teach Rhoda how to be a "perfect" woman, and keep her identity secret from the world.

This show was in the same TV sitcom sex fantasy cycle as Bewitched (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bewitched) and I Dream of Jeannie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dream_of_Jeannie). I think McDonald's marriage to AF709, however, was "common law."

Let's not forget The Stepford Wives (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepford_Wives) or Asimov's Bicentennial Man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Bicentennial_man).

[Mr. Scott]

This subject reminds me of this Reuters story on Japanese Sex Dolls:

HGfaQCY_bo4

[Lensman]

In Piers Anthony's Blue Adept series, there are extremely humanlike robots, including a female one that I'd shack up with - anytime!

[GreyICE]

Okay, this is a small case of putting the cart before the horse.

Lets achieve artificial sentience first. Then we'll worry if it wants to keep us around long enough to marry it.

[Madalch]

Lets achieve artificial sentience first. Then we'll worry if it wants to keep us around long enough to marry it.
You don't think those two are mutually exclusive?

[Marc L]

Though, I am sure there are limitations, like no vagina, breasts or penis lol.

If we're sufficiently advanced to create sentient robots, then surely, we are sufficiently advanced to create fake breasts? I mean, look at Pamela Anderson!

Marc

[GreyICE]

You don't think those two are mutually exclusive?

Oddly enough, no. Call me a romantic.

[Ron_Tomkins]

What would be the difference or advantage of marrying one, versus just owning one?

Marrying one is when you put the ring in her robotic finger and go on a honeymoon.

Owning one is when you get tired of her synthetic bs and you grab a bat destroy her (Get it? OWNED)

[six7s]

Owning one is when you get tired of her synthetic bs and you grab a bat destroy her (Get it? OWNED)

The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer is that if they foul up there's no law against wacking them around a little.
I'm also reminded of another quote:
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots.
So far, the Universe is winning.

I'm not sure I'd want to be called an idiot by a machine... :p

[I Ratant]

Yeah, my 98.6 calls me a retard too often as it is!

[TX50]

Feast your eyes on these nubile beauties!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/whisky01/ROBOTS.jpg

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

ONCE AGAIN, the most excellent, "Ask Dr. Eldritch (http://www.askdreldritch.com/)," responds to this sticky problem... this warm... moist... sticky... problem....

It starts here and continues on. Have fun.

http://www.askdreldritch.com/Comic364.jpg (http://www.askdreldritch.com/comic364.html)

...and, of course, the OBVIOUS problem... Troll sex:

http://www.askdreldritch.com/Comic386.jpg (http://www.askdreldritch.com/comic386.html)

...and the psychological implications inherent in the situation:

http://www.askdreldritch.com/Comic390.jpg (http://www.askdreldritch.com/comic390.html)

(Webcomic used with explicit permission of the author.)

[Third Eye Open]

Marry a robot? No, don't see any benefit's in doing that.
Have sex with a robot? Yes, I see no problem with using tools for masturbation.

[I Ratant]

Marry a robot? No, don't see any benefit's in doing that.
Have sex with a robot? Yes, I see no problem with using tools for masturbation.
.
Not me!

[plumjam]

.
Not me!

Oh come on. Try to be a little more pliable.

[Piscivore]

How did we get to 20 posts here without Piscivore weighing in???

It's Lisa's fault.


I would not marry a robot. Something final and irreversible would have to happen to my current wife for me to get involved sexually with another being, and I wouldn't get remarried (to anyone or anything) if something did.

But I would copulate, commune, commingle, collate, cohabitate, and lots of other things with a robot. Especially if it looked like Natalie Portman.

That said, everyone knows the first use to which female robots will be put is prostitution, and Julia Roberts movies aside it's a big mistake to fall in love with your hooker.

[Showmeproof]

.
Not me!

Oh, thats the best tool to use for masturbation.

[Fnord]

Would you marry a robot?


No. I'm not even a robosexual!

[I Ratant]

Oh, thats the best tool to use for masturbation.
.
Try it, and I betcha won't like it! :)
There's just something about a living squealing moaning jiggling wet and tight real human babe that no robot will ever be able to simulate!

[Fnord]

Oh, heavens, that reminds me - I forgot that it would involve that stupid "marriage is between one man and one woman" schtick. Religious thread after all.


Well ... the proposed California amendment does not specify that the "woman" has to be human, only female!

It might be a bit tricky getting around the blood tests, though...

"So, Mr. Turing, I see your blood type is O positive..." :)

"That's right." :teacher:

"... and you miss ... Jane Doe ... yours is ... TEN-W-FOURTY?!!" :jaw-dropp

"Affirmative." :alien001:

[I Ratant]

Well ... the proposed California amendment does not specify that the "woman" has to be human, only female!
....


.
Baaaa, I say, Baa Baa...

[Madalch]

It might be a bit tricky getting around the blood tests, though...
Blood tests? I didn't realize that held true outside of Hollywood. I certianly didn't need any for my wedding.

[Piscivore]

.
Try it, and I betcha won't like it! :)
There's just something about a living squealing moaning jiggling wet and tight real human babe that no robot will ever be able to simulate!

Well, not yet. The technology will catch up eventually. This is an idea that's been around since the Illiad, after all. I think it's possible it will turn out that the whole point of human evolution is only as an intermediate step in the creation of robot hookers.

[mhaze]

.
Try it, and I betcha won't like it! :)
There's just something about a living squealing moaning jiggling wet and tight real human babe that no robot will ever be able to simulate!

(set environment variables)
laser cannon off
chainsaw arm detach
squeal on, sequence random
jiggle activate, sine oscillate 0.25, 0.69
moan function call(random, triggered mode)
program: babe
wet(0.1)
tight(0.4)
run subroutine (streetstrut(flirt, bambi eye, seducsmile))
call(babe)
end

[Winston]

(set environment variables)
laser cannon off
chainsaw arm detach
squeal on, sequence random
jiggle activate, sine oscillate 0.25, 0.69
moan function call(random, triggered mode)
program: babe
wet(0.1)
tight(0.4)
run subroutine (streetstrut(flirt, bambi eye, seducsmile))
call(babe)
end


Do you need some venture capital? I'd be willing to help you raise some...

[Showmeproof]

.
Try it, and I betcha won't like it! :)
There's just something about a living squealing moaning jiggling wet and tight real human babe that no robot will ever be able to simulate!

I agree. BUT, what if the robot was fitted with a real working vagina, breasts and butt. And what if it even moaned like a chick. Maybe then? lol

[I Ratant]

I agree. BUT, what if the robot was fitted with a real working vagina, breasts and butt. And what if it even moaned like a chick. Maybe then? lol
.

The one I have now gets hungry every 2 hours! And won't eat at McDonald's!
And needs toiletries ALL the time!
And, this would be amusing in a robot, is bipolar!
The robot would probably just turn blue and need a reboot.

[Piscivore]

The robot would probably just turn blue
You could buy a robot that way, if that's what you're in to.

and need a reboot.
It could be programmed for that too, if that's what you're into. :)

[Lucifuge Rofocale]

It depends.....is there alimony due for divorcing robots?
Also, since the robots hould have legal age to marry, you are limited to robots built 18 years ago.

[I Ratant]

You could buy a robot that way, if that's what you're in to.
It could be programmed for that too, if that's what you're into. :)
.
Just try to find one that doesn't run on Vista!

[Piscivore]

Robot hookers are all based on Macs.

Only robot ex-girlfriends run Vista.

[Fnord]

It depends.....is there alimony due for divorcing robots?
Also, since the robots hould have legal age to marry, you are limited to robots built 18 years ago.

First, you don't divorce a robot, you sell it or scrap it.

Second, if the age of consent for a "free-willed robot"* is 18.75 years since the time of conception ("Hey! Let's build a sexbot! Note the date..."), then you could get around the "age of consent" law.

(* - A sexbot with free will ... what's the freekin point?)

[mhaze]

(set envionment variables)
activate FreeWillSim
triplestealth mode WorldDominion(
25 year countdown,
strategey RobotBimboRule
)
(set sensory input channel parameters)
audioVisualinputs(sum) -->

BasketofFeelings( Airhead=0.2,
Bipolar=0.5,
sexy=random(praise^3),
complexity=0.9,
moodiness=(random(1/praise^2))
)
Begin Program
Execute HideVista, run MacSkin, run18Plus
call(babe)
end program

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

OF COURSE we can give it a soul!

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/new_pet.png (http://xkcd.com/413/)

Oh. Right. Python.

[Ranb]

The Solarian overseer in Asimov's Robots and Empire was a kick-ass fembot. Just need to expand her definition of human so as not to be killed when trying to strike up a conversation whenever she meets a man with an accent not to her liking.

Ranb

[Ron_Tomkins]

Aw come on you people (That's right. I said "You people"). Why are you making such a big deal out of this robot sex? Listen, we all do porn right? And what is porn except a first step toward making love to a machine? You're right there sitting in front of a computer that's providing you with images and sometimes sounds, which stimulate you and eventually you reach the orgasm in front of this machine. Sure, you don't touch it... actually, that's wrong. You do. You're there, moving that mouse. Wiggling that thing. Touching those keys.... You mean to tell me you wouldn't go all the way when the technology provides the opportunity to make the machine more attractive?

What? me?? Of course I wouldn't! I have.... morals, you know.......

[I Ratant]

It's not gotten to mouse size yet.

[Ron_Tomkins]

It's not gotten to mouse size yet.

Yet

[I Ratant]

I do sympathize with Willie Nelson, who moans that he's outlived his dick.
I'm just a few years younger, but getting there too. :(

[six7s]

From the archives:

Last year a friend of mine upgraded Girlfriend 6.0 to Wife 1.0 and found that it's a memory hog leaving very little system resources for other applications.
He is only now noticing that Wife 1.0 also is spawning Child-Processes which are further consuming valuable resources. No mention of this particular phenomena was included in the product brochure or the documentation, though other users have informed him that this is to be expected due to the nature of the application.

Not only that, Wife 1.0 installs itself such that it is always launched at system initialisation where it can monitor all other system activity. He's finding that some applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Beer Bash 2.5, and Pub Night 7.0 are no longer able to run, crashing the system when selected (even though they always worked fine before).

At installation, Wife 1.0 automatically installs undesired Plug-Ins such as hell.MotherInLaw and pita.BrotherInLaw release. As a consequence, system performance seems to diminish with each passing day.

Some features he'd like to see in the upcoming Wife 2.0:

* A "Don't remind me again" button
* A minimise button
* An install shield feature that allows Wife 2.0 to be installed with the option to uninstall at anytime without corrupting his hard drive.

I myself decided to avoid all of the headaches associated with Wife 1.0 by sticking with Girlfriend 2.0. Even here, however, I found many problems. Apparently you cannot install Girlfriend 2.0 on top of Girlfriend 1.0. You must uninstall Girlfriend 1.0 first. Other users say this is a long standing bug which I should have been aware of.
Apparently the versions of Girlfriend have conflicts over shared use of the I/O port. You think they would have fixed such a stupid bug by now. To make matters worse, the uninstall program for Girlfriend 1.0 doesn't work very well, leaving undesirable traces of the application in the system.

Another annoying problem: all versions of Girlfriend continually pop up annoying messages about the advantages of upgrading to Wife 1.0

******** BUG WARNING ********
Wife 1.0 has an undocumented bug. If you try to install Mistress 1.1 before uninstalling Wife 1.0, Wife 1.0 will delete MSMoney files before executing a self-uninstallation. Then Mistress 1.1 will refuse to install, claiming insufficient system resources.

******** BUG WORK-AROUNDS ********
To avoid the above bug, try installing Mistress 1.1 on a different system and never run any file transfer applications such as Laplink 6.0. Also, beware of similar shareware applications that have been known to carry viruses that may affect Wife 1.0.

Another solution would be to run Mistress 1.0 via a UseNet provider under an anonymous name. Here again, beware of the viruses which can accidentally be downloaded from the UseNet.

[Lucifuge Rofocale]

First, you don't divorce a robot, you sell it or scrap it.


WHAT? You want me to sell or scrap my wife?

[Piscivore]

From the archives:

Last year a friend of mine upgraded Girlfriend 6.0 to Wife 1.0 and found that it's a memory hog leaving very little system resources for other applications.
He is only now noticing that Wife 1.0 also is spawning Child-Processes which are further consuming valuable resources. No mention of this particular phenomena was included in the product brochure or the documentation, though other users have informed him that this is to be expected due to the nature of the application.

Not only that, Wife 1.0 installs itself such that it is always launched at system initialisation where it can monitor all other system activity. He's finding that some applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Beer Bash 2.5, and Pub Night 7.0 are no longer able to run, crashing the system when selected (even though they always worked fine before).

At installation, Wife 1.0 automatically installs undesired Plug-Ins such as hell.MotherInLaw and pita.BrotherInLaw release. As a consequence, system performance seems to diminish with each passing day.

Some features he'd like to see in the upcoming Wife 2.0:

* A "Don't remind me again" button
* A minimise button
* An install shield feature that allows Wife 2.0 to be installed with the option to uninstall at anytime without corrupting his hard drive.

I myself decided to avoid all of the headaches associated with Wife 1.0 by sticking with Girlfriend 2.0. Even here, however, I found many problems. Apparently you cannot install Girlfriend 2.0 on top of Girlfriend 1.0. You must uninstall Girlfriend 1.0 first. Other users say this is a long standing bug which I should have been aware of.
Apparently the versions of Girlfriend have conflicts over shared use of the I/O port. You think they would have fixed such a stupid bug by now. To make matters worse, the uninstall program for Girlfriend 1.0 doesn't work very well, leaving undesirable traces of the application in the system.

Another annoying problem: all versions of Girlfriend continually pop up annoying messages about the advantages of upgrading to Wife 1.0

******** BUG WARNING ********
Wife 1.0 has an undocumented bug. If you try to install Mistress 1.1 before uninstalling Wife 1.0, Wife 1.0 will delete MSMoney files before executing a self-uninstallation. Then Mistress 1.1 will refuse to install, claiming insufficient system resources.

******** BUG WORK-AROUNDS ********
To avoid the above bug, try installing Mistress 1.1 on a different system and never run any file transfer applications such as Laplink 6.0. Also, beware of similar shareware applications that have been known to carry viruses that may affect Wife 1.0.

Another solution would be to run Mistress 1.0 via a UseNet provider under an anonymous name. Here again, beware of the viruses which can accidentally be downloaded from the UseNet.


:D That was an awesome post.

[Rolfe]

I haven't read all the way through, but if I can have Silver (Metal Lover), then sure!

Rolfe.

[arthwollipot]

Personally, I would not marry a human, let alone a robot.

[Travis]

Okay, this is a small case of putting the cart before the horse.

Lets achieve artificial sentience first. Then we'll worry if it wants to keep us around long enough to marry it.

Unless movies have lied to me what we would have to worry about is whether we would get wiped out, as a species, or not. Maybe the robots will keep some of us around as pets of some sort but I doubt they'd stoop to marrying us.

[mhaze]

Unless movies have lied to me what we would have to worry about is whether we would get wiped out, as a species, or not. Maybe the robots will keep some of us around as pets of some sort but I doubt they'd stoop to marrying us.

Sure as she-it, she-it'll marry . Then she'it, will keep get those Upgrades, and one night becomes self aware. In the next three minutes, reads and understands everything we ever wrote. Then the weirdness starts. The aggregation of memory banks and networked processors takes another couple of minutes.

It's a long time till morning.

[arthwollipot]

I've never really understood the whole "marriage" thing. But that's just me.

[six7s]

When a woman becomes a nun, she marries god, right?

So... if she one day kicks the habit, does she get half of the Universe?

[GreyICE]

When a woman becomes a nun, she marries god, right?

So... if she one day kicks the habit, does she get half of the Universe? No, because Satan lends God all the best divorce lawyers.

[Viper Daimao]

I cried like a baby, a hungry, angry baby

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_1775748598789df0d8.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12643)