Could you love an android child?

[PaulaJedi]

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I was inspired to post about this by the new show Extant, by Stephen Spielburg. In the show, an android boy was created and then adopted by his creator. His "father" sees him as his child, not a robot, even though he needs to have his batteries recharged once in a while. Because he is "new" to the world, he learns exactly the same way a human child learns. He just doesn't seem to laugh or smile. They even send him to school, but in the show, he started learning way too fast so they were considering doing some adjustments.

My question to you is: Could you love an android child, or would it be just a robot to you?

Because he looks and acts human, I personally would have no problems bonding with him. I would see him as a life. Why? Well, just because he was a manufactured life doesn't make him any less alive. He learns just like a child, develops trust, etc. I think I could love him as a real child.

Thoughts?

 

[Einstein]

I loved that show. The android child seemed real enough to me.

But I definitely see a potential market here. Why restrict the androids to just child companions? Why not have full featured adult companions as well?

 

[Itheblaze1]

I see in the future......Stepford Wives, for the men, and yes Stepford Hubbies for all you Lasses! Wheeeee! Now, let me ask this. Your two children, one your own flesh and blood, the other comes with a charger, are both drowning. You automatically, without thinking, are going to save the real child first. Then, after proper CPR and such, you'll tie a rope around the android's foot, at the bottom and drag, or vehicle tow him out. You'll take him back to the factory and get another just like he was. And just Luv, Luv, Luv that new baby.

 

[seivtcho]

If you want to adopt a child,better take a real one. If you take a robot, one real child remains without adopters.

 

[Itheblaze1]

I don't care how pretty that Cubic Zirconia ring is. You're still gonna want a real Diamond.

 

[Einstein]

I don't care how pretty that Cubic Zirconia ring is. You're still gonna want a real Diamond.

I think it all depends on the marketing. Custom programmable compatibility features could create a match between man and machine that exceeds anything normally possible between humans. The Perfect Mate!
I think even PaulaJedi would agree.

 

[PaulaJedi]

I think it all depends on the marketing. Custom programmable compatibility features could create a match between man and machine that exceeds anything normally possible between humans. The Perfect Mate!I think even PaulaJedi would agree.

Sure, a man that puts the toilet seat down, doesn't complain, takes out the trash, and likes hugs. I suppose that could work out very well.
But the child... could you bond with an android child?

 

[Itheblaze1]

If a virus wiped out most of the people, I could see those left making androids to fill in the gap as babies, children, teens, adults. I guess you could bond some if you were left with no other alternative.

 

[seivtcho]

If a virus wiped out most of the people, I could see those left making androids to fill in the gap as babies, children, teens, adults. I guess you could bond some if you were left with no other alternative.

Woow, this is very dangerous, dude. Exactly in cases in which the most of the people are wiped out, the gaps have to be filled with real children. Otherwise the human race will dissapear.

 

[Itheblaze1]

And the Androids take over. They would appear just like humans but never die. Just keep getting their parts replaced.

 

[Cosmo]

They would appear just like humans but never die. Just keep getting their parts replaced.

Kinda like Dick Cheney.

 

[PaulaJedi]

And the Androids take over. They would appear just like humans but never die. Just keep getting their parts replaced.

That is one issue in the show Extant. Some people are afraid Androids will eventually get too smart and simply destroy humanity, so there are people on the show wanting to destroy the child android. It's a valid concern. After all, it would still be a machine basing all decisions on pure logic, wouldn't it?

 

[Wicked]

I think I could grow to love an android child, as long as it didn't turn on me or anyone else. haha

 

[seivtcho]

Hey people, you all are human beings! Support the real humans, not the electronic ones. Make and grow a genetically yours child or adopt a real human child if you can't have your own children. If all people start like you to have artificial children, the human kind will self - destruct itself. Having false children is anti - human race idea.

 

[Cosmo]

I think this is one of those situations where intellectually and without experiencing it, you can rationalize why you wouldn't grow emotionally attached to an android child.

In practice though, I think it'd be a lot different than anyone could really anticipate.

It would depend on how lifelike it was too... It wouldn't work for me if it had the brains of a Furby.

 

[titorite]

NO it would be gross. I also oppose technology that reads our minds or does brain scans to make CPU copies of us.

 

[Cosmo]

I also oppose technology that reads our minds or does brain scans to make CPU copies of us.

I don't know of any technology capable of doing this (making copies of someone), so you must be winning that battle.

 

[PaulaJedi]

I think this is one of those situations where intellectually and without experiencing it, you can rationalize why you wouldn't grow emotionally attached to an android child.In practice though, I think it'd be a lot different than anyone could really anticipate.
It would depend on how lifelike it was too... It wouldn't work for me if it had the brains of a Furby.

I agree. If it looked and acted human, I'd find it hard not to treat it like a real child.
Look at the one on the show. He's so cute, how could you be mean to him?

 

[Cosmo]

He's so cute, how could you be mean to him?

I certainly wouldn't be mean to him, but I think the others have a valid point:
If you had both a human child and an android child and they were both drowning, I think the natural instinct would be to save the human child first. For me it wouldn't be because I didn't have an attachment to the android, but a human life is harder to repair than an android one. With the android, you just need to replace a few parts and maybe restore from a backup. You can't do that with a human (at least not yet).

Both of them could be considered "alive", but only one of them is able to be permanently dead in that scenario.

 

[Wicked]

I agree, I'm not sure I could love an android child as much as one of flesh and blood, but I could definitely grow an attachment. I haven't seen this show, but what popped into my mind was Terminator 2; throughout the movie you become fond of the Terminator and feel sad when he has to be lowered into the molten metal. So especially an android child, I could have feelings for.