What does love mean to you?
For me, love is a many-splendoured feeling embracing spirit, body and mind.
Immediately turning for help to my pocket dictionary I was disappointed to find that their prime definition
was linked to sexual desire – which, surely, is only part of the answer to this eternal question.
The definition in an online dictionary was more satisfying – putting first “affection from kinship and personal ties”,
with sexual attraction second, and “affection based on admiration… or common interests” third.
Here’s the online definition of love
I ask the question after reading an article last weekend about a new book called “Love and Sex with Robots:
The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships” by David Levy, an expert in chess and Artificial Intelligence.
The book concerns the advance of robot sex dolls, and this will bring a smile to face of some readers –
not least those who remember a brilliantly funny episode of “Only fools and horses” on BBC TV.
There is fascinating stuff about websites for robot dolls – Honey Dolls (Japan) and Real Doll (US).
And one of the positive points in favour of ‘sexbots’ is that they may help people who have trouble
forming a sexual relationship. Here's the article
Perhaps we all need to go and see the new film “Lars and the Real Girl” on this very topic.
But I digress. The question remains whether ‘love’ and ‘robots’ really belong together; or
whether it is impossible for a human being to have a meaningful relationship, and therefore 'love'
in its fullest sense, with a robot (however sophisticated).
What do you feel? Where do your affections lie on this issue?
All the best
Nick
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