Robots

[Boobinator]

That's a very limited view. Given the last hundred years of technological advancement in every possible field of science and engineering it's difficult to believe that anything is impossible. I don't think artificial sentience is as much a matter of "if" as it is "when." We've only really had computers for 60ish years, and widespread computer use far less than that, and look how far it's come. Our knowledge and technology is advancing at an accelerating rate, there's no telling where it'll go. This is a very exciting time to be alive.

Indeed it's exciting.

And like you said, you can never be sure. What I meant though was that these ideas of robot-friends or lovers seem a bit too extreme.
Maybe in millenias to come, that far off into the future is impossible to imagine. But not during my life-time.

Also, having sex with a robot will most likely never be a mainstream thing. Once technology allows it, some people will probably do it. But I find it hard to believe it will be socially acceptable.

 

[mrtrebus]

YES!!

 

[fewmany]

..
This is a very exciting time to be alive.

Of course, but if we're talking about live alike believable cyborgs here, then i'm afraid it might not happen soon.

now give me Cameron and i'll happily bang her everyday and night

!

 

[shayd]

You can't compare biological evolution to technological. And even so, a robot with emotions and free will is currently impossible because we don't even know what those things are or how they "work."

Robots may be programmed to do stuff, but in reality they're no more advanced than the simplest of insects. And they lack an important factor of all lifeforms: reproduction. Robots rely on its creators to support and manage them.

I'm very skeptic that we will ever see robots as more than practical machines for simple tasks. They are more of cattle than companions so to speak.

That's a very limited view. Given the last hundred years of technological advancement in every possible field of science and engineering it's difficult to believe that anything is impossible. I don't think artificial sentience is as much a matter of "if" as it is "when." We've only really had computers for 60ish years, and widespread computer use far less than that, and look how far it's come. Our knowledge and technology is advancing at an accelerating rate, there's no telling where it'll go. This is a very exciting time to be alive.

That's a debate that's been going on for years. Both sides have valid points, but at this stage, it may simply be too early to tell for certain.