Re: Medtech a la Los

On Mon, 3 Jan 2000, Los wrote:

> At 04:25 AM 1/3/00 -0500, Adrian J wrote:
>
> >If technology exists to completely replicate a human, including
personality
> >and ability gained from experience AND the technology can be
selective
> >about what is reproduced, why bother 
> >	a) making mechanical robot soldiers:  grow bazillions of sort-of
human
> >ones in big tanks a-la Matrix, and send them off to fight.  Perfect
copies
> >of a few successful designs, available en-masse.
> 
> Well by robots (if we extend the term to mean cyborgs) because you can
make
> better physically performing soldiers, faster shoot more accurate,
> stronger, etc. This might make them more survivable. Instead of just
> sending hordes of humans to get kille dover and over again. It might
be
> cheaper.

indeed. in fact, the word 'robot' was first used to refer to artificial
biological humanoids, which were used as labour in industry and
agriculture, and of course as soldiers, in vast, bloody wars. in that
story, the robots eventually decided they wouldn't be slaves to mankind
any more, and overthrew and destroyed him. this story is 'R.U.R.', a
play
by Karel Capek, written in 1920. it is, without a doubt, essential
reading
for anyone into SF. it's quite short, and very good.

tom