In Our Time Automata
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Sep 20, 2018 Exploring the history of automata from ancient times to modern science fiction, the podcast discusses the fear of machines becoming our masters, the spread of Greek knowledge into the Arabic civilization, advancements in automata during the medieval period, the boundary between life and death, the connection between automata and Freud's idea of the unconscious, and remarkable advancements in self-moving engineering.
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Automata in Mythology
- Automata appear in mythology, like the birds in the myth of Prometheus.
- These automata are Hephaestus' slaves, reflecting power dynamics and the potential shift where humans become slaves to their creations.
Automata in Christianity
- Medieval Christianity used automata in religious settings, such as moving statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary.
- At Boxley, a statue of Christ could move and weep, and an automaton boy saint served as a test for pilgrims.
The Sandman
- E.T.A. Hoffman's story The Sandman features a student falling in love with an automaton.
- The student's madness from the deception highlights how automata challenge human reason and self-understanding.