Gopnik Turkle essay Robotic and emotions

baby struggles to comprehend the concept of a manipulated ring. In contrast, an eighteen-month-old baby realizes that the ring will not work without even attempting to use it.

Gopnik's observations highlight how our worldview evolves with age and the passage of time.

Furthermore, Gopnik builds upon the aforementioned observation and draws a connection to counterfactual thinking, which she refers to as the "Woulda-coulda-Shouldas of life". Gopnik contends that these counterfactuals eventually transform into children's pretend playtime. According to her, pretending involves a form of present counterfactual thinking - imagining how things could be different. These imaginative play sessions give rise to a new world or alternate reality. They transform our perception of the world, but as time passes, this aspect of our lives diminishes.

Simultaneously, Turkle introduces us to Miriam, an elderly woman residing in a nursing home. To provide comfort, she is given Paro - a robot designed to resemble a baby seal. Paro is employed to stabilize Miriam's emotional turmoil following the breakdown of her relationship with her son. Turkle explains how Miriam becomes convinced that the robot is also feeling depressed on a particular day. However, when Miriam gently touches Paro, she elicits a warm response from it. Encouraged by this, Miriam continues to express affection towards the robot. In her attempt to provide the comfort she believes it needs, she finds solace herself. This sociable robot not only revives the sense of make-believe during childhood but also prompts questions about the potential impact of such robots.

The perception of reality is being changed by sociable robots. In today's society, it has become acceptable to talk to inanimate objects due to technological

advancements. There is also increasing support for engaging in sexual relationships with these robots. Turkle introduces us to David Levy, the author of Love and Sex with Robots. A New York Times reporter visited MIT and stated that love and sex with robots will be as normal as love with humans. Additionally, robots will offer a wider range of sexual acts and positions than all published sex manuals combined. This change in perspective is evident before our eyes - what was once considered taboo is now accepted. Turkle explains how sociable robots are transforming our understanding of authenticity, which was previously seen as a threat and obsession similar to sex for the Victorians. Gopnik challenges Freud and Piaget's belief that young children cannot differentiate between fiction and truth, pretense and reality, fantasy and fact - this belief has been widely disproven.

According to Gopnik, if an adult were to claim they are the queen of fairies, they would likely be perceived as confused about reality and fantasy. However, thanks to technological advancements, adults can now engage in similar behavior during a child's developmental stage. While not identical, having a robotic friend is akin to a child conversing with a doll because neither entity possesses life.

According to Turkle, devices like phones, tablets, and computers not only connect us but also disconnect us from social interactions. Despite being constantly connected, our reliance on technology allows us to avoid face-to-face communication and prefer texting over talking. This shift in communication methods has made traditional forms less popular, as face-to-face interactions have been replaced by phone calls and eventually transformed into text messages. These technological advancements were all

imagined through counterfactual thinking. Gopnik explains that even young children constantly imagine different possible worlds in the past, present, and future. While children can envision devices like phones, they lack the knowledge to bring them into existence.

The advancement of technology has a significant impact on our perception of reality as we age. Counterfactual and robotic integration have played a crucial role in accelerating our acceptance of these changes. Gopnik and Turkle's works provide insight into the evolution of our perception and its profound effects on us. Consequently, individuals like Miriam and her robot companion Paro are now more accepted compared to just a few years ago when someone using a therapeutic doll would be considered mentally unstable. This demonstrates how the passage of time and technological advancements reshape societal norms, influencing our understanding of reality.