Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships |  | Author: David Levy
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
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Pages: 352
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Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 0061359807
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.892
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Product Description
Love, marriage, and sex with robots? Not in a million years? Maybe a whole lot sooner! A leading expert in artificial intelligence, David Levy argues that the entities we once deemed cold and mechanical will soon become the objects of real companionship and human desire. He shows how automata have evolved and how human interactions with technology have changed over the years. Levy explores many aspects of human relationships—the reasons we fall in love, why we form emotional attachments to animals and virtual pets, and why these same attachments could extend to love for robots. Levy also examines how society's ideas about what constitutes normal sex have changed—and will continue to change—as sexual technology becomes increasingly sophisticated. Shocking, eye-opening, provocative, and utterly convincing, Love and Sex with Robots is compelling reading for anyone with an open mind.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
 Are Levy's Predictions Outlandish? March 4, 2008
Norman Goldman (Montreal)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Title: Love + Sex With Robots
Author: David Levy
ISBN: 978-0-06-135975-0
After reading David Levy's fascinating Love + Sex With Robots I would have to concur that in the short term many of his ideas and predictions would appear outlandish and will be met with considerable scepticism, or downright disbelief and even hostility. However, as Levy maintains that those who doubt the prospect of computer life or robot life lack a breadth of vision similar to the doubters in the 1960s, of the possibility of artificial intelligence.
In Levy's introduction Sherry Tuckle, author of The Second Shelf is quoted wherein she states that we should be asking not what the computer will be like in the future, but instead what will humans be like?
And with this in mind, Levy begins Love + Sex With Robots analysing what kind of people we are becoming. It is his believe that huge technological advances will be accomplished by around 2050 and basically his thesis revolves around the belief that "Robots will be hugely attractive to humans as companions because of their many talents, senses, and capabilities. They will have the capacity to fall in love with humans and to make themselves romantically attractive to humans. Robots will transform human notions of love and sexuality." Is all of this mind-boggling? Just look at the Japanese, who are very advanced in the science and technology of robots and who consider robots as not just toys but also rather helpers in factories, receptionists, household helpers. As Levy mentions, the interactive aspect of a robot's being is becoming an important element of its usefulness. Will they also be considered sometime in the not too distance future sex partners?
Central to his book is why should people fall in love with robots and to answer this Levy divides Love + Sex With Robots into two parts, the first exploring Love with Robots that delve into topics as why we fall in love with people, loving our pets, emotional relationships with electronic objects and falling in love with virtual people (Humanoid Robots). The second part examines why we enjoy sex, why people pay for sex, sex technologies and the mental leap to sex with robots.
Is it possible that we will have an artificial partner, husband, wife or friend, or lover and would this not challenge the notion of relationships?
Levy maintains that no longer will these artificially intelligent entities be perceived as some kind of a machine but rather human like with emotions. In fact, there is now an entire new discipline devoted to robotic psychology and robotherapy. Levy believes that by 2025 at the latest there will exist artificial-emotion technologies that will not only simulate the full range of human emotions and their appropriate responses but there will also exist nonhuman emotions peculiar only to robots.
As for love relationships with robots, Levy strongly believes that the various behavior patterns necessary to endear one human being with another are already capable of simulation and in certain instances have been simulated, using various techniques that are presently the subjects of research.
In Japan, scientists are working on robots to simulate basic facial expressions as anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise, love and disgust. The Japanese are so convinced of the importance of the interaction of robots and humans that they have invested millions of dollars in research and they have estimated that the industry could surge from about $5.2 billion in 2006 to $70 billion in 2025. Levy informs us that Toyota by 2010 plans to sell robots that can help to look after the elderly and to serve tea to guests in the home.
Love + Sex With Robots is certainly a timely book for a society that is in the process of reassessing what the future holds pertaining to human relationships with robots. Although some of us may find Levy's theories far-fetched, you still have to admit that they are thought provoking. It should be pointed out that Levy is uniquely positioned to examine the question, as he is an internationally recognized expert on artificial intelligence. In 2006 he became the first person ever to present papers on intimate relationships with robotic partners at an international conference. In addition to Love + Sex With Robots, he has also authored Robots Unlimited.
Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures
My Kind of Book! January 6, 2008
B. Klos (Oakland County, Michigan)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
I love psychology. It somehow worked its way into my studies as my minor (My major is marketing and advertising). Ethos aside, I love machines. Robots right now are lacking compaired to the fictional machines of science fiction films and authors.
This book's thesis is NOT propaganda suggesting machine love is superior to human on human love. Instead, it gives brief insight on how and why humans love things (specifically humans). Later it expands into a psychological, philosophical, and (lol) mechanical look at what mankind is capable of loving and fornicating.
It doesn't try to pitch an agenda, rather Levy sincerely invites those with an open mind to analyze his thesis, which is backed by research and sources. To me, the rational is, if you actively searched for this book, there's no need to put a machine-love agenda in the book.
I simply appreciate the format this book takes. A simple thesis that gives an expansive explaination of it's premise. It's logical, like a robot. Also, it's an actual book in the sense that it's not a textbook, a picture book, childrens book, or fictional. Therefore, if you pull this book out to describe your robo-lust to friends, then you have a shred of credibility...
It's pretty straight forward. If there's a reason why this title intrests you, then you have a reason to purchase or borrow this book. If you're reading my review, then read this book. robots are just sexy like that.
Interesting concept. Perhaps in our lifetime. February 1, 2009
David A. Walsh (Ankeny IA USA)
Suggested (not recommended) to me by a brother. An interesting read with an interesting outlook. Reminds me of Sean Young as the exceptional replicant in Blade Runner.
 Strange ideas, but could happen December 1, 2007
magellan (Santa Clara, CA)
24 out of 30 found this review helpful
Books like Levy's and others such as Raymond Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines seem to portray a future where humans are obsolete and of little use, yet this is despicted as a good rather than a bad thing, because robots can do whatever it is faster, cheaper, and better, and humans will finally be able to pursue a life of ease and leisure. Futurists like Levy and Kurzweil have even been accused of disliking and having no use for humans, but this is going too far; like the great Arthur C. Clarke's book, Profiles of the Future, written 40 years earlier, Levy and Kurzweil are simply taking current trends and technology and extrapolating plausible futures from that.
As described by Levy an Age of Robots would seem to have certain advantages. Our stewardship of this beleaguered planet has been flawed at best: it has been massively destructive to its environment, perhaps beyond repair; humans claim great religions and spiritual beliefs but then we kill and make war when it's convenient and expedient; we are the most intelligent species but lack wisdom; humans are industrious but we often lack any constructive purpose; and rarely seem to learn from our mistakes, despite our supposed "intelligence." In short, humans haven't done very well on this planet and perhaps it's time for another better race, whether biological or robotic or android, to have a go at running things for a while.
The book is filled with odd but plausible devices such as robot v_ginas and robotic p_nis strokers that will have capabilities far beyond any human's. A robotic partner and lover will always be the perfect mate and will never get bored or inattentive. You will be the entire focus and centerpiece of their existence and you will never have to worry about their being unfaithful or going astray, because these qualities will be programmed into them, rather than having to rely on the uncertainties of human upbringing and morals. Certainly these qualities seem to have advantages over their potentially unreliable human counterparts.
Whether the future envisioned is ultimately for good or bad, it seems inevitable that some day the things imagined by Levy will come to pass. Unfortunately, humans have a tragic history of using technology for evil as much as good--consider what has happened to the "art of war" over the last 100 years--so I don't have much faith that this world will be any better than the present. But who knows; we'll see--and sooner than later--if writers like Levy and Kurzweil are right.
Well Researched book January 22, 2008
J. Aragon
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
I can only imagine the amount of interesting research David Levy had to do for this book. The book started off good, but got better towards the latter chapters. I found the sections on sex dolls fascinating--these sections were sociological, yet written for the lay audience.
The sections on pets creeped me out some, as did some of the early chapters. The jump of logic was unsettling at times, since I felt that Levy was truly on to something.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would suggest it to others. The audience for this book is wide--primarily a lay audience, but the sections of the book would be useful in undergraduate courses in humanities and social sciences.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
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