ðŸĪ–
ai and society nextbook
About
  • â„đïļIntroduction
  • 📖Definitions of AI
    • ðŸĶĢAI myths
    • 📃Critique of AI concept
    • 🔌AI as general purpose technology
    • ðŸĪ–Anthropomorphism
    • ⚙ïļAutomation bias
  • 📚The historical entanglements of AI and semiotics
  • 🌏Technology and society
    • ðŸĪ–The history of AI
    • 🛕Ancient automata
    • 📚Public understanding of science and technology
    • 🊖Technology and the military
  • 🗃ïļContemporary AI: Case studies
    • ðŸŽĨCase study: Superheroes, cyborgs, and artificial creatures in science fiction narratives
    • ðŸ’ŧCase study: problems with generative technologies
    • ðŸ§ēCase study: generative AI and copyright
    • ðŸĪ–Case study: mistaking CGI for miltech
    • 🙋Case study: renegotiating the social contract
  • 🌐Computer systems as social and semiotic technologies
  • 📝Exercises
    • ðŸ—ĢïļHeadline rephrasing
    • ðŸĪ–Anthropomorphism awareness
  • 📑References
  • ðŸŠķAbout this project
    • New Media and Technosemiotics modules@UPOL
    • HUGOD project
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  • Mechanical and psychological spectacle
  • Temple automatics as power mechanism

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  1. Technology and society

Ancient automata

PreviousThe history of AINextPublic understanding of science and technology

Last updated 2 years ago

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The concept ‘robot’ originates from Czech writer Karel Čapek.

However, automata are common through history both in the real world and in stories.

Mechanical and psychological spectacle

Temple automatics as power mechanism

Moving on to medieval Europe, the automata and artifice in stories merge with the concept of Natura artifex, inspiring the 17th-century notions of mechanical nature and clockwork-world, which have in turn contributed to our contemporary models of rationality, underlying the conceptualisation of current technologies.

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Natura artifex forging babies. Harley MS 4425 f. 140r, ca 1490–1500.
http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Harley_MS_4425