If you were a robot, and I knew but you didn't, would you want me to tell you?
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"Hypothetically" Speaking...
This question was posed on The Big Bang Theory. I have spent quite a while (mostly while driving) contemplating this issue and attempting to to come up with my answer. It is not an easy question, but my answer (at least for today) is: No, don't tell me - I prefer ignorant bliss.
Make Your Wishes Known Now
(just in case)
If you were a robot, and I knew but you didn't, would you want me to tell you?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, tell me.
nano neness marcel says:
the fact of to don t know is to hidde the reallity. the fact of being in a virtual world. so i wanna know.
Posted December 17, 2011
robot says:
yessssssssssssssssssss
Posted April 18, 2011
Othercat says:
Heck yeah! I'd want to know if I was a robot. Then I could do all sorts of cool stuff.
Posted January 29, 2011
XXX says:
Well, duh. Can you think of any advantage of being human over being a robot? If you're older than six years old, you already know beyond a doubt that ou have free will or a soul or something like that. If our a teenager you probably know that you can *ahem*. Other than using an off switch, (which even you did not know about, so how could anyone else?) a human would have no way of beating a robot without a delicate laptop to transmit a virus.
also. There is surely a reason why little kids dress up like robots, right? Robots are more repairable than humans. if you lose an arm, just get an arc welder or something and reattach it. Humans need surgery, healing time and stuff. If you're worried about afterlife, a robot would have no soul to torture in hell, so you can do whatever the heck you want. BAsically only the laws of robotics stop you from doing anyhting, and since you could disobey them before, you still can, and are, therefore, more free than anyone else.
Posted January 08, 2011
WhySoSerious? says:
Yes but only if I get super high tech awesome gadgets :l otherwise no
Posted December 14, 2010
inkvamp says:
I think I'd want to know so I could discover any cool robot stuff about myself like if I had a built-in laser or something... I'll probably change my mind a few times if I think about it more though.
Posted December 04, 2010
sithgenard says:
I prefer to know myself so I can deal with it, by the way, being robot is not bad at all, rite?
Posted September 28, 2010
JeremyCrow says:
I would prefer to live in the knowledge of a disturbing truth than be deluded by a comforting lie.
Posted September 26, 2010
guardianstar77 says:
I/O Error 2030 @ 5945 ... Need more input; need more input; need more input.
Posted September 10, 2010
greg says:
Yes
Posted August 21, 2010
nizampatnam ravikiran says:
ha this is is a nice way to do some much more things in life which i cant do as a man
Posted August 04, 2010
Kristy says:
Of course I'd want to you tell me.
Posted June 20, 2010
kendykane says:
That depends. When I learn that I'm a robot, will I be able to handle it?
Posted June 13, 2010
ee says:
is that mean i'm smarter than you?
Posted March 05, 2010
Maggieee(: says:
yeah i would want to know. but i want to loveeee.
Posted January 19, 2010
danista says:
sorry,but i am not designed,nor programed to answer this question
Posted December 23, 2009
No, don't tell me.
FormerHumanNowARobotMutant says:
No. If I were living as a human, finding out that I was a robot would be devastating since it would mean that my whole life had been a lie -- no real parents, no real siblings, no real spouse, no real friends -- just computer programming that made me think all those people were real. I would have the same feelings I always had, but knowing that nothing was real would make me want to self-terminate...which I don't believe robots can do. So it would be a living HELL!
What's more, you would begin to wonder what people do to you when you are 'off' or in an 'altered state'. Do they make you have sex with them, do they make you kill people without your knowledge. All of this would haunt you while you are in a conscious state.
Also, Bliss is not a product of ignorance - it is a product of the life you have build for yourself, which you would suddenly find out was a lie. So my emphatic answer is NO!!!!!!!
Posted July 19, 2011
says:
No. Unless I could shoot lasers out of my eyes, have ridiculously hard armor plating, look like a terminator under my skin, or anything else that might be awesome.
Posted November 08, 2010
mcochs says:
No,it would change everything.Ignorance IS bliss,at least in this case!
Posted October 30, 2010
Danggg!!! says:
Robots have genitals???
Posted December 06, 2009
raceface says:
But what if i knew you were a robot, but had not told you. You would'nt know that i know, that you thought you knew. Would you want to know what i knew after what you're about to tell me what you knew?
Posted September 09, 2009
Tommo says:
What would it matter if I were? Thus, why worry about it. If you did, it would forever alter the course of future events. Who are you to meddle with peoples' futures?
Posted June 21, 2009
Jaime says:
I don't even think I would understand the concept of robot if I were a robot. So no.
Posted June 05, 2009
Verdul says:
I like who I am. As long as I am a happy productive robot don't tell me.
Posted March 18, 2009
kiwisoutback says:
My brain is fizzing from this right now and I'm human, I think...so I can't imagine what it might do to a robot. So, no, don't tell me.
Posted March 13, 2009
revdan says:
I think I would rather go on blissfully ignorasnt about being a heap of junk.
Posted January 10, 2009
says:
The movie Blade Runner answers that question.
Posted December 25, 2008
says:
How can you validate me without invalidating yourself
Posted December 14, 2008
ChefL96 says:
Hmmm. It depends on what I would be capable of. I mean, do I have good skills? lol
Posted December 08, 2008
nooranwer says:
No.....I am happy what I am....And I know myself better than others :)
Posted November 19, 2008
Beautiful_GreenBeans says:
Or at least not until you figure out why....
and totally checked your data!
and had someone else check it. And someone else check them...
and before you know it ;)
Posted October 25, 2008
emmalarkins says:
I think I'd rather not know. It's like knowing when you're going to die. Plus, I'd have to wonder why they made a robot with such pitiful strength and speed specifications!
Posted October 17, 2008
MontessoriSecrets says:
I'd say, keep it to yourself. What I don't know won't kill me right?
Posted October 12, 2008
MiaD says:
if you tell me that i am , am i am not, would that still make me a robot...?
Posted September 24, 2008
Koothrappali, Wolowitz, Sheldon, and Leonard
Discussion of this Hypothetical
(from the Big Bang Theory)
Sheldon: That depends. When I learn that I'm a robot, will I be able to handle it?
Wolowitz: Maybe, although the history of science fiction is not on your side.
Sheldon: Uh, let me ask you this: when I learn that I'm a robot, will I be bound by Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics?
Koothrappali: You might be bound by them right now.
Wolowitz: That's true, have you ever harmed a human being, or through inaction, allowed a human being to come to harm?
Sheldon: Of course not.
Koothrappali: Have you ever harmed yourself or let yourself to be harmed except in cases where a human being would've been endangered?
Sheldon: Well, no.
Wolowitz: I smell robot.
Would it matter if you are currently happy or not?
Would it make a difference in whether you would want to know that you are a robot if you are extremely happy or in a state of depression?
A Few Things to Consider Before You Decide
Check these out:
Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics
10 points
Tilden's Law of Robotics
2 points
Robotic age poses ethical dilemma
2 points
If I were a robot (poem)
0 points
Friendly Artificial Intelligence
0 points
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Further Thoughts
Do you have anything more to add to this discussion of the robot hypothetical? or comments on this lens?
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TeagueChubak
Jan 23, 2012 @ 12:07 am | delete
- Love this lens idea.
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technospunky
Dec 4, 2011 @ 2:53 pm | delete
- If I were a robot and had emotional issues of any kind, it would probably mean my AI was working properly. I would not want to spoil neither my self image attained nor would I want to have to examine or recalculate life as I knew it. so I am going ignorance is definitely bliss of the human kind and proper AI. Loved your lens *beep.
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ru55l33
Nov 23, 2011 @ 2:32 pm | delete
- very good ideas.....bravo..
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phoenix-arizona-friends
Jul 2, 2011 @ 7:19 pm | delete
- Great lens idea!
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kitty222
Jun 28, 2011 @ 3:14 pm | delete
- Interesting question...Of course I'd want to know if I was a robot (or cyborg). Hypothetically speaking, of course.
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Othercat
Jan 29, 2011 @ 12:58 am | delete
- So....Am I a robot? Come on.....you can tell me!
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pumpnut
Dec 7, 2010 @ 3:58 pm | delete
- Quite a poser!
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Nov 8, 2010 @ 10:19 pm | delete
- That's one very interesting question.
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mcochs
Oct 30, 2010 @ 8:17 am | delete
- Very interesting lens-enjoyed it!
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JenOfChicago
Sep 13, 2010 @ 11:10 pm | delete
- Hilarious!
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