Returning to the soil: A Song

Yes, peaches will be grown. Also, the ninjas are spacers.

What does it mean to be a robot?

We had a lot of class disscussion about caves of steel about what may or may not make a robot be human like.

It kinda got me thinking, do robots even want to like human, or is that just a desire we superimpose upon them? Maybe they disire something else entirely.

Side note: I am going to use Dr. M-B’s iPad to show a Short video from a Netflix series I binged over the weekend. By coincide Tim’s post is an episode from the same series, it’s very good and I encourage everyone to check it out. I would even go so far as to say Dr. M-B, you might even consider putting an episode on your syllabus in future renditions of this course.

Robots v Humans?

While reading Caves of Steel, it got me thinking about robots and how they compare to humans. I wanted to bring up a possible discussion question, do we think that this novel is trying to touch on the idea that robots are superior to humans? Do we think that it is trying to prove this or at least explore this idea through Daneel and R Sammy? They are different and have different abilities that can be compared, but they are definitely not your average "human" per say.

Here is a picture of some of the robots I thought of in my head while reading :)

 

What Makes Man?

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2e_M06YDyY

Upon reading the passage:

"Not as long as we don't understand what makes our own brains tick. Not as long as things exist that science can't measure. What is beauty, or goodness, or art, or love, or God? We're forever teetering on the brink of the unknowable, and trying to understand what can't be understood. It's what makes us men.

"A robot's brain must be finite or it can't be built. It must be calculated to the final decimal place so that it has an end" (Asimov, 221).

I was immediately reminded of the remix "Seize the Day." Robin Williams' lovely speech in Dead Poets Society perfectly encapsulates this passage, and the song's overall message is one of tenacity, change, and strength in one's identity and beliefs. Daneel expressly tells Baley that he's exceeded and defied the Spacers' experiment due to his stubbornness, although his willingness to learn and listen enables him a growth in character to promote change and pioneering.  Truly, I just think that this song, when applied in a context like this, helps answer and assuage the common debate on what keeps us separate from robots/androids and makes humanity its own unique state of being that cannot be usurped or dismissed.

Mystery Solved?

What did the class think of the culprit reveal? Were you surprised or did you predict it? Did Asimov’s writing style and/or worldbuilding help or inhibit the effectiveness of the reveal?

R. Daneel and character development

R. Daneel's monologue at the very end is a great example of the kind of lessons that can only learned through experience. R. Daneel learns that "the destruction of what should not be, that is, the destruction of what you people call evil, is less just and desirable than the conversion of this evil into what you call good" which is a lesson that is impossible to be taught through words alone (270). Also, R. Daneel basically learned how to manipulate human beings in the name of justice. Daneel also seems to learn the concept of spiritual evil because he uses the word "sin" which is an impossible concept for him to understand because it means that R. Daneel was able to understand that evil is more than just a bad or harmful action (270). All in all, the robot finally started some character development though it happened at the end of the [first] book.

Caves of Steel

After starting this novel I wanted to see if someone had created a Caves of Steel comic because in my head I picture a dramatic, cheesy, black and white detective comic strip but instead I found this. Though this is pretty different than what I was expecting, I thought it was fun and wanted to share it.

Elijah

Does the class still think that Elijah has no character development? I think hes changed a lot since the beginning especially after meeting Dr. Fastolfe (120).

Fan Fiction!

Nice Guy Elijah (A Monologue)

A Fan Fiction for Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

            My name is Elijah Baley and I will be open minded and understanding. It will make my character much more fun to read and then I will be more relative to the reader. I am going to meet my robotic partner today! Wow! Robots! I am very fortunate to live in a society where we all have enough food to survive and I don’t work in yeast mines. I have a son and he also enjoys robots. I also have a wife who I won't say negative things about! She's great! We are not judgmental towards robots as they are here to benefit us.

            I am heading down a tunnel that turns a lot now. The Spacers built it like that because there used to be riots. Now there aren’t any riots and man that’s great. I am gonna solve this murder case and (hopefully) get a promotion. I won’t have to stand when I ride the conveyor belts anymore!

            I hope I don’t have to take any examinations to be able to get out of this tunnel. Let me get my ID, this looks like the guard.

            Oh! This is not a guard. This is a robot! This is my new partner and he looks nearly human! His name is Daneel that’s a great name! Technology is getting crazy nowadays. I am fortunate to have such a high functioning partner for this case and will stay open minded and not grimace or be miserable during the first section of this journey.

On a serious note, why is Elijah so cranky in this novel? Did that grate on anyone while reading? Did Asimov mean to write this character this way?

Asimov and I discussing Elijah

(https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380402633ra/782727.gif)