Adrienne Mayor, a Research Scholar at Stanford, explores the intriguing connections between ancient mythology and modern technology. She delves into figures like Talos and Pandora, discussing how they embody our fears and hopes around artificial intelligence. Mayor reveals that these myths served as early thought experiments about creation and mechanization, highlighting themes of ambition, consequence, and moral complexity. The conversation also connects ancient narratives of automated beings to today's anxieties about AI, showcasing the enduring relevance of these stories.
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Talos the Bronze Robot
Talos, a bronze robot, guarded Crete, patrolling three times daily.
He repelled invaders by throwing rocks, sinking ships, and roasting victims with his red-hot body.
insights INSIGHT
Talos's Biomimetic System
Talos's inner workings included an artery with ichor, a life fluid of the gods, as his power source.
This makes him a biomimetic system, blending biological and technological elements.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Medea's Trickery
Medea, a techno-wizard, tricked Talos by exploiting his desire for immortality.
She convinced him to remove a bolt, causing his ichor to drain and leading to his destruction.
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This book provides a deeply researched exploration of the Amazons, revealing how archaeological discoveries support the long-held myths and legends of these warrior women. It delves into their historical and cultural significance across various ancient civilizations, from the Mediterranean to China. Mayor's work combines classical myth, art, nomad traditions, and scientific archaeology to offer insights into the lives and legends of these women.
The modern world is full of technology, and also with anxiety about technology. We worry about robot uprisings and artificial intelligence taking over, and we contemplate what it would mean for a computer to be conscious or truly human. It should probably come as no surprise that these ideas aren’t new to modern society — they go way back, at least to the stories and mythologies of ancient Greece. Today’s guest, Adrienne Mayor, is a folklorist and historian of science, whose recent work has been on robots and artificial humans in ancient mythology. From the bronze warrior Talos to the evil fembot Pandora, mythology is rife with stories of artificial beings. It’s both fun and useful to think about our contemporary concerns in light of these ancient tales. Support Mindscape on Patreon or Paypal. Adrienne Mayor is a Research Scholar Classics and History and Philosophy of Science at Stanford University. She is also a Berggruen Fellow at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. Her work has encompasses fossil traditions in classical antiquity and Native America, the origins of biological weapons, and the historical precursors of the stories of Amazon warriors. In 2009 she was a finalist for the National Book Award. Web page at Stanford Amazon author page Wikipedia Google Scholar Video of a talk on Amazons Twitter
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