My cynicism and skepticism...

[Little Brown Fox]

... are starting to ruin Astro Boy for me, I think. o_o;

It's the idea of a machine having feelings and emotions (never mind the very real possibility of it thinking for itself, albeit in a rudimentary fashion) that bothers me. It hasn't been done, to the best of my knowledge. But everyone is focused on having robots that can "think", or look like they could be human, or at least seem human enough.

It's depressing, really, but until they accomplish this, I'm starting to think that I'll always think this way. Now, when I watch Astro Boy on Youtube, I sometimes think along the lines of "Aw, cute, but it'll never happen" or "They don't actually feel anything, so kind gestures are useless". It's pretty bad that it affects my thinking even within the series' canon.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Like many science fiction writers Tezuka was a bit optimistic and set his story not quite far enough into the future. In about 50 more years people will be saying the same thing about the Jetson's (The Jetson's is set in the year 2063).

Are you a Startrek fan? Are you cynical and depressed watching Startrek because you know that Faster than Light travel is impossible? Everything we've learned about the Universe (even such highbrow stuff as 'string theory') has not yet provided a way that one could ever travel at superluminal speeds.

I would agree that there will NEVER be a robot like Atom. We are talking about putting the 1/10 the full output of a typical Nuclear power plant (that could light up a small city!) into a package weighing less than 100 lbs! You can't change the laws of Physics.

OTHO building an android that looks and moves like a human being probably IS possible. Have you seen the audioamintronic actors at Disney theme parks?

Machine's having feelings and emotions? Well the science of AI has made some giant strides. There are computers that can think and reason. Any machine that must operate on it's own and adapt to unknown changes in it's environment must have this ability. The Mars rovers and UAV military aircraft have computers that have limited abilities in this department. IBM's Watson was able to understand abstract human language inputs and solve problems.

Self aware computers are another thing, but there are different degrees of self awareness. Humans, Dolphins, and some of the great apes are among the few animals that can identify their own images in a mirror. But most animals exhibit some form of emotion and feelings. These traits were developed in evolution out of the survival need. The sex drive present in all creatures that reproduce by exchanging DMA material also lead to an emotional response ("love") necessary to insure the survival of the off spring and attraction to a mate. Anger was developed as a drive to insure protection, but it can be overdone. Human war is an obvious result of this.

In the story I posted on fanfiction.net I set aside the problems of creating a computer AI from scratch by imagining that a human mind could be copied into computer form, literally (like 'Max Headroom'). There are computer programs that simulate the neural networks of the brain. I took an idea from the movie "brainstorm" one step further by making it possible to copy not just experiences and memories but the entire brain 'program'. I understand that progress in this regard has been undergone in the medical field.

So will computer AI eventually come this far? I think it can. "Moores Law" keeps doubling computer power at a steady rate. Apple's Iphone now understands you. We'll see......

[AprilSeven]

You know, LBF, I wouldn't write off eventual possibility of a sentient robot. It might be 50 years . . . or much less. And the bot might not be atomic-power - or as much of a walking/talking weapon as Astro, but I truly believe sentient androids will exist.

I remember being only about 5 years old, and on a family tour of IBM with my family (my dad was an engineer who was on the team that launched the 360 mainframe). We were walking through a room with many, many big (refrigerator-size) machines which my dad said was all one, single computer. That was kinda creepy to me, but what blew me away was when he said with certainty that "every home will have a computer someday."

Yeah, sure Dad! This would have been the late 1950's. Look at what's happened in those 50 years! Here's my other hunch. . . he also said they were working on the development of AI BACK THEN . . . now do you suppose something as incredible as sentient machine intelligence would just be turned lose on the world (as Astro was)? I don't think so . . .but I do believe that between the work that's been done over the last half-century in robotics, AI and bio-engineering, that brilliant, self-aware robots/computers seem like a possible outcome. I think we'll have Data before we have Astro, but they're okay with me.

Now . . .what gets to ME is NO FLYING CARS YET!!

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Now . . .what gets to ME is NO FLYING CARS YET!!

There HAVE been quite a few prototypes for those! Problem is they cost almost as much as an airplane and you need a pilot's license. VERY limited market. Not to mention it would be a nightmare for the FAA. .... But I digress.

[Prettywitchiusaka]

I'm not really sure why you would feel so discouraged by such a revelation little Fox. If anything, I'd think you'd be more fascinated by the possibility of sentient robots.

That's ultimately how I view your dilemma. For me, it's not a matter of could it happen, rather than what do I take from it. I find the idea of sentient robots to be fascinating, because it brings into question the very notion and idea of makes us human. We learn about humanity from a robot exploring humanity, as much as the robot is growing to understand and feel human emotions.

It's why Astro Boy, and other stories like Blade Runner are appealing to me; they ask us to consider what it means to be human from the perspective of beings who aren't human.

As for why I'm not cynical about this not happening. Well the thing is, not only do I think it will ever happen, i don't want tit to happen. We as humans have enough of a hard time accepting people of other race or creeds as humans, imagine how it would be with robots? If they became as sophisticated as Astro or the Blue Knight, they would want independence, but at what cost? All of humanity?

It's reasons like this that I find these tropes fascinating, but would never consider them in real life.

[Little Brown Fox]

I'm... not really a trekkie. I also don't know a heck of a lot about this stuff. I already knew that the "atomic robot" thing was impossible, though. (At least on that scale...)

Anyways, you can be sentient or "self-aware" and still not feel anything. There are people like that, actually.

But you seem to misunderstand; these thought processes are affecting my ability to enjoy the series, or even like the characters at all. It is depressing me. I feel like if I don't snap out of it, I'll never enjoy it as much as once did ever again. It's difficult to explain precisely the way this makes me feel, though.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Well the thing is, not only do I think it will ever happen, i don't want tit to happen. We as humans have enough of a hard time accepting people of other race or creeds as humans, imagine how it would be with robots? If they became as sophisticated as Astro or the Blue Knight, they would want independence, but at what cost? All of humanity?

Did you ever read the play R.U.R (Rossum's Universal Robots)? It's actually where the word robot came from. Well the play deals with that exact question. And it didn't end very well for humans.

[AprilSeven]

Well, Little Brown Fox, I hope your enthusiasm is restored soon . . . I've always enjoyed your contributions, and feel to think you've become disenchanted with the world of

Also you're one of the few people who also really likes Cobalt!

But yeah, you do have a point . . . I know sentient beings (people) who seem lacking in the heart and soul dept.

I just think the hope of a pure, honest, inspiring being like Astro can be a boost to me when I'm down.

[Astro Forever]

Personally, in a way, I think of think of Astro as a human who is lucky enough to have all these extraordinary physical powers, instead of a robot first who happens to be able to think. It just makes his possibilities to help and have an impact so much greater. If I saw him as a robot first, he wouldn't have struck a chord in me the way he did.

I also think Astro's message is inspiring even if we do not have the same abilities.

[Little Brown Fox]

I didn't think of him as a robot first. Sure, I always knew that he was one, but he seemed infinitely more human than than any of the others. I honestly don't know what my problem is; it's like my brain is conspiring against me (and on multiple fronts).

@AprilSeven: Really? You actually like my "contributions" (such as they are)? I'm flattered!

Actually, I think I might be a bit nuerotic. It exascerbates many of my problems, including this one. Longing for things involving this series to happen (like official subs for the 60's series, and especially for the '03 series) actually seems to help, as it has me focusing on something other than the negative.

... Y'know, I don't have these kinds of problems with my other primary fandom. And the Legend of Zelda is certainly far less believable than Astro Boy...
Then again, maybe it's because it's not grounded in reality in the same way as Astro Boy is, that allows it to be free of such a ruinous taint like this one...