A host of vast pillars, endlessly, ironically,
circumscribed with innumerable bulbs of glowing
pods ordered in coils of sinister symmetry. Each
pillar as fractal frond, each frond, scaling to a base
ERHEWYQQMXEWWYQIHMQEKMRIHYRWIIR6ERO
YTSRGSYRXPIWWVERO½PIYTSRPMQMXPIWW½PIXLI
cohorts of columns curve and span toward and
never reach a vanishing point beyond human
WIRWI8LI[SVOSJERIRXMVIP]EPMIRGSRWGMSYWRIWW
8LITVSHYGXWSJERMRGSQTVILIRWMFP]3XLIV
intelligence.
8LMWMWXLI[SVPHSJ±8LI1EXVM\² . A world wrought by entities of our own
QEOMRK%VITVIWIRXEXMSRSJ8LI7MRKYPEVMX]EWXLIIRHSJLYQERMX]%GSVVYTX
cybernetic construct in which the meat is food for the machine. In this world,
we polluted the planet. We created machines of ever increasing capability. We
created computers of ever increasing power and complexity. We gave control
of the machines to the computers. Computers controlled other computers.
'SQTYXIVWERHQEGLMRIWFIGEQIEWSRI8LIGSQTYXIVQEGLMRIWEXXEMRIH
WIRXMIRGIERHGSRWGMSYWRIWW8LI]FIGEQIEPMJIJSVQ8LI7MRKYPEVMX][EW
EXXEMRIH3YVGVIEXMSRWVIFIPPIH8LIMVGVIEXSVWLYQERWFIGEQIXLIFEXXIVMIW
the food, for their own children.
As Cronus castrated his father Uranus and cast him from dominion over the
Earth, so Zeus, the son, cast Cronus, his father, into the eternal torment of
8EVXEVYW3%WXLI3P]QTMERWSZIVXLVI[XLI8MXERWWSRS[LEWLYQERMX]FIIR
usurped and enslaved by its own cyber seed. Cast down and condemned to a
8EVXEVYWSJXIGLRSPSK]8LIGLMPHLEWWPEMRMXWTEVIRX8LIWSRLEWWYTTPERXIHXLI
JEXLIV3IHMTYWMW6I\3RGIEKEMR*VEROIRWXIMR´WQSRWXIVNSPXIHXSPMJIF]XLI
primordial force of electricity harnessed by the science of man, has risen from
XLIWPEFXSVIFIPERHHIWXVS]MXWQEOIV3RGIEKEMRXLIVSFSXWLEZIVIZSPXIHERH
XYVRIHEKEMRWXYW3RGIEKEMRXLIGSQTYXIVWLEZIFIGSQIQSVIMRXIPPMKIRXXLER
XLIMVQEOIVW3RGIEKEMRXLIJVYMXWSJLYQERORS[PIHKILEZIFIIRXLIGEYWI
SJSYVJEPP3RGIEKEMR[ILEZIGSQQMXXIHXLIWMRSJLYFVMWERHFIIRI\TIPPIH
JVSQ)HIR3RGIEKEMRLYQERMX]LEWFPEWTLIQIHERHFIIRGEWXJVSQKVEGI
3RGIEKEMR-GEVYWLEWJEPPIR3RGIEKEMR[ILEZIGVIEXIHKSHMRSYVMQEKIERH
our creation, our god, our child, has consumed and enslaved and destroyed us.
Narrow skeins of laser sharp static form coruscating cuffs coursing around
TSHERHTMPPEV6MFFSRWSJFMREV][LMXIPMKLXGIEWIPIWWP][VMXLMRKERHTYPWMRKYT
and down the imagined lengths. As the energy traversing one pillar passes that
traversing another, an arc of incandescent plasma sparks and stabs between
them. Cracking and fracturing and tearing, but never illuminating, the blackness
FIX[IIR8LITSHWGEWXE[IEOJIFVMPITMROMWLKPS[XLEX[ERP]QEVKMREPP]
contests but never defeats the enshrouding darkness.
8LIGSPYQRWEVIEWXLSYKLWYWTIRHIH[MXLMRERIXIVREPERHPMQMXPIWWZSMH
%JEFVMGEXIHERH¾SSVPIWWERHVSS¾IWWJSVIWX%KVSXIWUYIWMQYPEGVYQSJ
nature and nurture. A contemptuous sneer at fertility. Sterile, barren shafts
of metal and machines morphing into and out of organic and made forms. A
GSVTSVIEPI\TVIWWMSRSJERMKLXQEVIHMEPIGXMG%TIVZIVXIHTEVSH]SJE8YVMRK
morphogenesis. A fractal forest. A topography machined in mocking homage to
the minds of those who created its makers. A precision machine made hell of
mathematical sequences.
Colin
Williams
7&0
±8LI1EXVM\²MWFYXSRISJEZEWXGERSRVITVIWIRXMRKERHHITMGXMRK[LEXMW
essentially the same cultural phenomenon; the human fear of human ingenuity
ERHMRZIRXMSR3VTIVLETWQSVIFVSEHP]XLILYQERJIEVSJGLERKI[VSYKLXF]
SYVS[RLERH3VTIVLETWJVSQEWPMKLXP]HMJJIVIRXERKPIXLILYQERJIEVSJPSWW
of control over those instruments of change wrought by our own hand as a
TVSHYGXSJSYVTS[IVWSJGVIEXMSR3VTIVLETWSYVS[RJIEVSJSYVWIPZIW
8LIWIEVIXLIJIEVWVIJIVVIHXSF]-WEEG%WMQSZMRLMWJSVQYPEXMSRSJ[LEXLI
called the “Frankenstein complex”3VMKMREPP]%WMQSZIRZMWEKIHXLIGSQTPI\
MRWSJEVEWMXSFXEMRIHXSXLIJIEVXLEXLYQERWHMVIGXWTIGM½GEPP]XS[EVHWVSFSXW
Here, robots are anthropomorphic representations of the powers of human
ingenuity and physical manifestations of the powers of science and technology.
Hence, his deployment of the reference to Mary Shelley’s often referenced, but
somewhat less often read, book. In his early thinking on the subject the essence
of the trope is “”man creates robot; robot kills man””5 . Later, he widened the
scope to include the human fear of computers. For Asimov, the “Frankenstein
Complex” is a manifestation of a propensity towards the yet wider phenomenon
of what he himself called “technophobia.” Such technophobia, for Asimov, being
EQERMJIWXEXMSRSJEKIRIVEP±FPMRHYRVIEWSRMRKVIWMWXERGIXS©GLERKI²8LI
author of the four laws of robotics was clear in his position on the subject.
8IGLRSTLSFMEMRKIRIVEPERHJIEVSJVSFSXWMRTEVXMGYPEV[EWEWIVMSYWQEXXIV
FIGEYWIMX[EW±PMOIP]XSHSQYGLLEVQXSXLI[SVPHMRKIRIVEP²6SFSXW±EVI
going to play an inevitable role in advancing technology”, and, for Asimov,
technology and robots are both very good things. Asimov was a scientist as
QYGLEWLI[EWEREYXLSVSJWGMIRGI½GXMSR
8LIMRRYQIVEFPITMPPEVWSJLIPPSS^IXLIMVGSYRXPIWWTYWXYPSYWTSP]TWEW
scrofulous and scabrous pods; seeds as scabs on the machine. Stems and seeds
attended to by spider like insectoidal robots that scuttle and skitter within
XLIIRHPIWWTMX8LIYRXLMROMRKQMRMSRWSJXLI3XLIV8LIVSFSXEYXSQEXESJ
XLIQEWXIVWSJHEQREXMSR8LIG]FIVWTMHIVWQSZIFIX[IIRXLIXS[IVWERH
amongst the bulbous suppurations with programmed and unthinking purpose.
8LIGSQTVILIRWMSRSJXLIREXYVISJXLIMVXEWOWHIQERHIHF]SYVMRXIPPMKIRGI
yet denied by our humanity.
For, each of the innumerable pods is a cell in a vast energy source furnishing heat
ERHTS[IVXSEGMZMPMWEXMSRSJWIRXMIRXGSRWGMSYWQEGLMRIW8LILIPPSJLYQERMX]
LEWFIGSQIXLIPMJIJSVGISJXLI3XLIV8LIIRXMVIGSRWXVYGXMWEKIRIVEXSV%
TS[IVWXEXMSR)EGLGIPPGSRXEMRWERSVKERMGGSVI8LIYPXMQEXIWSYVGISJXLI
energy upon which an entire world, an entire species, depends, is; humanity. We
are the meat for the machine. We are the damned.
The three1
Laws of
Robotics
Individually and collectively, each human, each cell, is implanted with and
EWWMQMPEXIH[MXLMR8LI1EXVM\%GSQTYXIVGSRWXVYGX%WLEVIHLEPPYGMREXMSR%
world of the mind made real through manipulation by machines of the meat
of humanity. A vast complexity of binary code collectively and simultaneously
experienced as sense data; as reality. A communal and manufactured imagination.
%REVVEXMZI%WXSV]%GSRWXVYGXIHGSRWGMSYWRIWW%REVXM½GMEPMRXIPPMKIRGI
Gibson’s cyberspace as a collective hallucination.
_ZEROTH LAW
A robot may not harm
humanity, or, by inaction,
allow humanity to come to
harm.
Manifestations of the Frankenstein Complex appear with remarkable consistency;
and latterly with amplifying frequency. Popular culture is replete with them.
*VSQ.SLR'EVTIRXIV´W½PQ±(EVO7XEV²ZMEXLI½PQSJ(IRRMW*IPXLEQ.SRIW´
RSZIP±'SPSWWYW²EW±'SPSWWYW8LI*SVFMR4VSNIGX²XLVSYKLXLI±8IVQMREXSV²
JVERGLMWIERHSRXSVITIEXIHMRGEVREXMSRWSJXLI½PQERH8:WIVMIWSJ±&EXXPIWXEV
Galactica” we are presented with the nightmare of a world in which the
computers and the robots become sentient and kill and enslave us. Current
I\TVIWWMSRWSJXLIGSQTPI\MRGPYHIXLI8:WIVMIW±6IZSPYXMSR²%FMHMRK
depictions of a fear that repel and attract in equal measure.
8LI1EXVM\MWEXSSPSJTS[IVERHHSQMRERGI%RMRWXVYQIRXSJGSRXVSP[LIVIMR
humans are rendered as passive objects by, and to, incomprehensibly complex
QEGLMRIW8LI1EXVM\MWEHMKMXMWIHH]WXSTMEGVIEXIHF]GSQTYXIVWGSRXVSPPIHF]
computers. It is hell.
_FIRST LAW
A robot may not injure a
human being or, through
inaction, allow a human being
to come to harm.
8LIWIQERMJIWXEXMSRWEVILS[IZIVRSXGSR½RIHXSXLI½GXMSRWSJTSTYPEV
GYPXYVI8LI]EVITVIWIRXEGVSWWXLIWTIGXVYQSJLYQEREJJEMVWERHXLVSYKLSYX
XLILMWXSV]SJLYQERVIEGXMSRWXSXIGLRSPSK]3RGI]SYORS[[LEXXSPSSO
JSV]SY[MPP½RH(V*VEROIRWXIMR´WTVSKIR]IZIV][LIVI8LI+VIIOQ]XLSJ
Prometheus expresses a primordial form of the complex in relation to the
LYQEREFMPMX]XSLEVRIWW½VIMXWIPJ4VSQIXLIYWWXIEPW½VIJVSQ3P]QTYWERH
KMJXWMXXSLYQERMX]>IYWTYRMWLIWLMQJSVLMWLYFVMW-RXLILERHWSJLYQERW½VI
HIWXVS]WERHOMPPWEWQYGLEWMX[EVQWERHTVSXIGXW5YIIR:MGXSVMESVHIVIHXLI
HVMZIVSJXLI½VWXXVEMRYTSR[LMGLWLIVSHIXSXVEZIPEXQYGLPIWWXLERXLIJSVX]
miles an hour of which it was capable lest the force of such unnatural velocity
did her physical harm.
_SECOND LAW
A robot must obey the
orders given to it by human
beings, except where such
SVHIVW[SYPHGSR¾MGX[MXL
the First Law.
We are the meat for
the machine. We are
the damned.
_THIRD LAW
A robot must protect its own
existence as long as such
TVSXIGXMSRHSIWRSXGSR¾MGX
with the First or Second Law.
8LITSTYPEVQIHMESJXLI:MGXSVMERHE][IVITPE]MRKXSXLIJIEVXLEXXVEZIP
at such unheard of speeds as technology could now grant would disintegrate
the human form, at precisely the same time as the very same technology was
TVSTIPPMRKXLIZIV]RI[WTVMRXJIIHMRKXLMWJIEVEXNYWXXLSWIWTIIHW&]EREGXSJ
TEVPMEQIRXXLI½VWXGEVWXSHVMZISRXLIVSEHWSJ)RKPERH[IVISVHIVIHXSFI
TVIGIHIHF]EQERFIEVMRKEVIH¾EKXS[EVRSJXLIMQQMRIRXEVVMZEPSJHMVI
danger. Similarly, later humans feared that breaking the sound barrier would
render the pilot’s body a deconstructed blob of jelly.
Fully autonomous weapons systems, including but not limited to humanoid
VSFSXW[MPPWSSRETTIEVMRXLIEXVIWSJGSR¾MGX,YQERW[MPPFIOMPPIHERH
QEMQIHEXXLIMVLERHWERHXIRXEGPIW8LIWIVSFSXW[MPPFIEVHMVIGXIHIRIVK]
weapons systems; beams of light and sound that will disintegrate corporeal
FMSPSKMGEPJSVQW8LI][MPPGEVV]SRFSEVHXLVIIHMQIRWMSREPTVMRXIVWERHWSFI
GETEFPISJWIPJLIEPMRK8LI][MPPGSQQYRMGEXIXIPITEXLMGEPP]MRMXMEPP]XLVSYKL
&PYIXSSXLERH;M*M%RHXLMW[MPPFINYWXXLIFIKMRRMRK8LIWIW]WXIQW[MPP
RSXSRP]FILEZIEYXSRSQSYWP]8LI][MPPIZSPZI'SQTYXIVWERHGSQTYXIV
networks will continue to exhibit ever more of the characteristics of sentience,
of consciousness; of life itself.
%XXLIHE[RSJXLIX[IRX]½VWXGIRXYV]XLI-RXIVRIXFSVIXLIRI[WSJEXXIQTXW
to take legal injunctions against the operation of the Large Hadron Collider
JSVJIEVXLEXMXWSTIVEXMSR[SYPHGEYWIXLIHIWXVYGXMSRSJXLI)EVXL8LIWEQI
Internet that carries myriad warnings of the unknown and unproven, yet
apparently utterly incontrovertible, dangers of Frankenfoods; and will soon bear
½VWXXLIQYVQYVMRKERHXLIRXLIGEGSTLSR]GSRHIQRMRKXLIEFSQMREXMSRSJ
HVMZIVPIWW*VEROIRGEVW8LIWEQI-RXIVRIXXLEXXLVYQWXSXLIJEQMPMEVHMWGSVHERX
beats of the ancient rallying cry that ‘they are taking your jobs’; the ‘they’ are now
GSQTYXIVWERHVSFSXW8LIWEQI-RXIVRIXXLEXRS[[EVRWXLIPIKMSR[LS[MPP
listen of the impending and imminent fall of civilisation as the ineluctable end of
the inevitable Cyber Apocalypse.
Robots will take
human jobs. Until
they choose
not to...
Computers and robots will usurp humans across the spectrum of economic
ERHWSGMEPEGXMZMX]8IGLRSPSK]HMHHMWTPEGIXLILERHPSSQ[IEZIVWXLI
FPEGOWQMXLWERHXLIX]TMWXW6SFSXW[MPPXEOILYQERNSFW9RXMPXLI]GLSSWIRSX
XS8LMWXIGLRSPSK]MWXVERWJSVQEXMZIERHXVERWJSVQEXMSRWHMWVYTX(MWVYTXMSR
MWHMWGSVHERXERHJSVWSQITEMRJYP8LITS[IVSJXLI6SQER'EXLSPMG'LYVGL
never recovered the blow it was dealt by the invention of the movable type
mechanical printing press. Nonetheless, human society as a whole advanced
precisely because it became irreversibly and existentially dependent upon the
printed word.
8LIWEQI-RXIVRIXXLEXWMXWEXXLILIEVXSJXLIG]FIVTLIRSQIRSR8LIWEQI
Internet that has in a few short decades already done more to unleash human
creative potential and transform human society, overwhelmingly for the better,
than any other technology across the span of the millennia of the improvement
of the human condition.
'SQTYXIVFEWIHXIGLRSPSK]LEWIREFPIHXLI½VWX¾S[IVMRKWSJTVMQMXMZI
HIQSGVEG]MRTVIZMSYWP]EYXSGVEXMGWXEXIW8LIWEQIXIGLRSPSK]LEWIREFPIH
undergraduate students to use a three dimensional printer to fabricate a
TVSWXLIXMGLERHJSVEGLMPHJSVEJI[LYRHVIHHSPPEVW8LIWEQIXIGLRSPSK]XLEX
if all goes according to plan, will allow a paralysed teenager wearing a cybernetic
exoskeleton driven telepathically through brain machine interface technology
XSVMWIJVSQXLIMV[LIIPGLEMVERHOMGOXLI½VWXFEPPSJXLI*-*%;SVPH'YT
MR&VE^MP8LIWEQIXIGLRSPSK]XLEXLEWIREFPIHXLIQETTMRKSJXLILYQER
KIRSQITVSNIGXERHXLI0EVKI,EHVSR'SPPMHIV8LIWEQIXIGLRSPSK]XLEXQEOIW
it possible for us to even imagine our civilisation existing beyond the exhaustion
SJJSWWMPJYIPW8LMWXIGLRSPSK]LEWGVIEXIHNSFWERH[IEPXL-XMWVIJSVQMRKWSGMIX]
humans, even the nature of our humanity itself. And, it has enabled human
creativity and potential so far and so fast that throughout the historic heartlands
of western capitalism future shock has become a psycho-cultural pandemic.
It is deceptively easy to dismiss these fears as those of the feeble or simple
QMRHIH8SFVERHXLIQEWIZMHIRGISJHI½GMIRG]SJMRXIPPIGXSV[IEORIWWSJ
character. An easy illusion to imagine the Frankenstein Complex comforting the
modern Luddites as they build their bunkers of the mind. Into which they retreat
to endure the pain and dissonance of future shock. An easy and, perhaps alluring,
illusion though this may be. It is, nonetheless, an illusion. And a dangerous one.
8LIJIEVWI\TVIWWIHXLVSYKLXLIEFMHMRKERHEQTPMJ]MRKQERMJIWXEXMSRWSJXLI
*VEROIRWXIMR'SQTPI\EVIVIEPMRIZIV]WIRWI8LI]EVIVIEPMRXLIWIRWIXLEX
they form part of the actuality of the matrix of the human condition. Emotion
may sit uncomfortably with a post Enlightenment sensibility as a driver of human
behaviour, yet this does not alter the fact that it is; and at every level and in every
sphere. From declarations of war to declarations of love, human emotions play
ETEVX8LIJIEVWSJXLI*VEROIRWXIMR'SQTPI\EVIEPWSVIEPMRXLIWIRWIXLEX
they represent to us visions of that which we all know is possible. Warnings from
ourselves to ourselves upon which our survival compels us to act.
Fear in the face of this onslaught of dissonance and disruption and
transformation is not merely inevitable. It is desirable and necessary. Humans are
story tellers. We build narratives as a core element of our very humanity. We are
driven to attempt to make sense of ourselves, of others, of the world around us.
Compelled to discern and establish and impose patterns and structures. Forced
to use our capacity to imagine, to create as though real that which does not
exist in the world as is. Forced to give our worst and deepest fears form in the
matrix of the cultural expressions of our collective negotiated consciousness.
8LI*VEROIRWXIMR'SQTPI\MWEREVVEXMZI%WXSV][IEVIXIPPMRKSYVWIPZIWSJXLEX
which could be. A warning. Upon which we must act. Fear is a precondition to
surviving danger when it spurs action; it is the cause of catastrophe when it is
allowed to induce paralysis.
8S[EXGL±8LI1EXVM\²MWXSI\TIVMIRGIEREVXIJEGXSJTVIGMWIP]XLIOMRHSJ
“creative cultural osmosis” relied upon by William Gibson8LMWGVIEXMZISWQSWMW
occurs in a cultural, human, social, solution. A matrix of memes, and neurons, and
thoughts. Endlessly being formed and reformed into ever morphing patterns of
ITLIQIVEPERHGSRXMRKIRXREVVEXMZIMRXIVEGXMSRW8LIJIEVWSJXLI*VEROIRWXIMR
'SQTPI\EVIHVE[RJVSQERHI\TVIWWIH[MXLMRXLMWQEXVM\8LMWQEXVM\MW
infused, if not super saturated, with the narratives of “killer robots”. Present, in
lesser solution, but only for the moment, are the narratives of the computers, the
robots, becoming life. Alongside the UN Convention on Certain Conventional
;IETSRWMR1E]X[SIQMRIRXEGEHIQMGW[MPPGSRHYGXERMRJSVQEPHIFEXI
LSWXIHF]XLI'EQTEMKRXS7XST/MPPIV6SFSXWERHGLEMVIHF]EWIRMSV*VIRGL
HMTPSQEXEFSYXJYPP]EYXSRSQSYWERH[IETSRMWIHVSFSXW6SFSXWEVIQIVIP]
means through which computers acquire locomotion, sense data, opposable
digits, telepathy, language formation and social forms. And, thus, the matrix of
consciousness.
Neither the reality nor the validity of the fears of the Frankenstein Complex are
WYJ½GMIRXXSEPPS[XLIREVVEXMZIXSTVSTEKEXIYRGLEPPIRKIH8LIREVVEXMZISJJIEV
must not be allowed to disseminate without contest. Narratives, stories, are both
WYFNIGXWERHSFNIGXWSJGVIEXMSR8LIREVVEXMZIQEXVM\MWFSXLGEYWIERHIJJIGXSJ
XLIEGXYEPMX]SJXLI[SVPHEWMXMW%VXMQMXEXIWPMJIERHPMJIMQMXEXIWEVX8SGLERKI
the world, we must change our narratives. In order to prevent an expression of a
real fear and an imagined future becoming a reality, we must generate a counter
REVVEXMZI3RIMR[LMGLLYQEREKIRG]MWTEVEQSYRX*VEROIRWXIMR´WGVIEXMSR
became monster and destroyer because of the way it was treated, not because
of the way it was made. We must not allow ourselves to make our own stories
come true.
8LI7MRKYPEVMX]MWVIEP-X[MPPLETTIR8LIVYPIWSJXLI[SVPH[MPPGLERKI,YQERW
will change. Society will change. As they all have before. Witness the Agrarian
6IZSPYXMSRXLI)RPMKLXIRQIRXERHXLI-RHYWXVMEP6IZSPYXMSR6SFSXWGSQTYXIVW
with the capacity to move and sense and act socially, will attain whatever
HI½RMXMSRWSJMRXIPPMKIRGIWIRXMIRGIERHGSRWGMSYWRIWW]SYGLSSWIXSJEZSYV
Perhaps the ultimate danger of the Frankenstein Complex is that it presents
as inevitable that which is merely possible and thus invites the negation of the
IJ½GEG]SJLYQEREKIRG].YWXEW[IQERYJEGXYVIHXLIJEFVMGSJ8LI7MRKYPEVMX]
so we can manage our role within it. If we choose too.
Fully autonomous weapons
systems, including but not
limited to humanoid robots,
will soon appear in theatres
SJGSR¾MGX,YQERW[MPPFI
killed and maimed at their
hands, and tentacles.
Human society must transform if it is to survive. Closed systems atrophy and,
IZIRXYEPP]HIGE]XSHIEXL:MEFPIW]WXIQWEVIZMXEPW]WXIQW8LI]WIRWIERHEGXSR
JIIHFEGO8LI]GLERKIXLIMVWXEXIIRHPIWWP](MWVYTXMSRERHHMWWSRERGIEVIXLI
TVMGISJXVERWJSVQEXMSRERHWSSJWYVZMZEP8LMWMWSRISJXLIJYRHEQIRXEPMRWMKLXW
EXXLILIEVXSJXLI[SVOSJ2SVFIVX;MIRIV-R½VWX±']FIVRIXMGWSJ'SRXVSP
ERH'SQQYRMGEXMSRMRXLI%RMQEPERHXLI1EGLMRI²ERHXLIRMR±8LI
,YQER9WISJ,YQER&IMRKW²;IMRIVHIZIPSTWXLIXLMROMRKXLEXMRNYWX
about every sense, has given us the contemporary cyber phenomenon.
Art imitates life and
life imitates art.
8SGLERKIXLI
world, we must
change our
narratives
;MIRIVLEHEHMVIGXMR¾YIRGISRXLIXLMROMRKSJSRI.'0MGOPMHIV8LIWEQI
0MGOPMHIV[LS[IRXSRXSLIEHYTXLI&ILEZMSYVEP7GMIRGIWERH'SQQERHERH
'SRXVSP4VSKVEQQIWJSVXLI97(IJIRGI%HZERGIH6IWIEVGL4VSNIGXW%KIRG]
%64%8LIWEQI0MGOPMHIV[LSMRXLIW[VSXIEFSYX[LEXLIGEPPIHXLI
“man-machine symbiosis”, and about computers as communications devices,
and about computers connected together in to a “Galactic Network” wherein
humans could interact socially and information could be stored and accessed
JVSQER]RSHISJXLIRIX[SVO8LIWEQI0MGOPMHIV[LSPIHXLIEGXMZMX]XLEX[EW
XSTVSHYGIXLI%64%2)8XLITVMQSKIRMXSVSJXLI-RXIVRIX
-RSVHIVXSHMWTIPJIEVMXMWRIGIWWEV]EPXLSYKLF]RSQIERWWYJ½GMIRXXSEGUYMVI
ORS[PIHKI/RS[PIHKISJSVMKMRWFIMRKSJTEVXMGYPEVMQTSVXERGI8SYRHIVWXERH
our cyber world, to acquire the knowledge of the origins of cyber itself, to
IZIRFIKMRXSGSQTVILIRH8LI7MRKYPEVMX]ERHFIJSVI[IHIZIPSTXLIGSYRXIV
narratives to the Frankenstein Complex, we must turn to and rediscover the
frame of the matrix that Wiener laid out. Wiener coined the term “cybernetics”
as the name of a new multi-disciplinary science devoted to the study of complex
systems in which humans and machines operated as equally instrumental agents.
3VMRLMW[SVHW±XLIWXYH]SJRSRPMRIEVWXVYGXYVIWERHW]WXIQW[LIXLIVIPIGXVMG
SVQIGLERMGEP[LIXLIVREXYVEPSVEVXM½GMEPLEWRIIHIHEJVIWLERHMRHITIRHIRX
point of commencement”.
For Wiener a cyber system is precisely one in which the meat and the machine
interact within the system with no distinction insofar as the fact of their agency
is concerned. More, a cyber system is one wherein the distinctions between the
organic and the inorganic modalities of operation becomes ever less meaningful.
Cyber is real. And different. And inexorable. For those who imagine cyber to
be simply a new way of describing the Internet, or perhaps a shorthand for
XLI-RXIVRIXSJ8LMRKWSVQE]FIXLIFIPEXIHI\XIRWMSRSJXLIWGSTISJSYV
understanding of computer networks to industrial control systems; their matrix is
about to deconstruct.
']FIVMWXLIHSQMRERXJSVQEXMZIERHHI½RMXMSREPGSRXI\XJSVXLIRI\XTLEWI
of the development of our society, for the evolution of humanity. And, for
XLIIZSPYXMSRSJXLIRI[PMJIJSVQWSJ8LI7MRKYPEVMX]7SSR[I[MPPWLEVIXLMW
TPERIX[MXL3XLIVGSRWGMSYWRIWW']FIVMWEFSYXYXXIVP]RI[ERHTVIZMSYWP]
unimaginable intermingling between the real and the virtual, the imagined and
the actual, the meat and the machine. Cyber will give us the question of how
QYGLQIEXQYWXXLIVIFIMREQEGLMRIJSVXLIIRXMX]XSFILYQER3VLS[
QYGLQEGLMRIQYWXXLIVIFIMRXLIQIEXJSVXLIIRXMX]XSFIEVSFSX8LVII
dimensional printers are replicating humans. We are on the verge of sharing a
new world with new life. We need better narratives. We need to read Wiener.
References
It’s deliberate!
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An abyss deeper even than the pits of Hades. A prison of ceaseless torture worse even than
hell.
It was Asimov’s custom to enclose references to the phenomenon in quotation marks.
5
Asimov develops and extends his thinking around the “Frankenstein complex” in his
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stories he edited with Patricia Warwick and Martin Greenberg. All of the quotes from
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%WMQSZWYFWIUYIRXP]EHHIHXLI^IVSXLPE[XSXLISVMKMREP8LVII0E[WSJ6SFSXMGW8LI zeroth expands and precedes the First Law thus: “A robot may not harm humanity, or, by
inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.”
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zeitgeist just as it illustrates the abiding power of the narrative of the Frankenstein Complex.
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http://virtualreality.duke.edu/project/walk-again-project/
Norbert Wiener, “Cybernetics: of Control and Communication in the Animal and the
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For a more detailed treatment of the connections between Wiener, Campbell and Asimov,
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Asimov published much of his work about robots in “Astounding” and the two
men worked closely together for many years. Asimov freely acknowledged the
importance of Campbell to the development of his thinking. Campbell was a
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WGMIRGI½GXMSREPWS;MIRIV[EWZIV]MRXIVIWXIHMRVSFSXW. We need to read
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Singularity. We need better narratives. We need to re-programme our future. We
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