Flesh and Machines: How Robots Will Change Us

by Rodney A. Brooks

From the director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory—“a stimulating book written by one of the major players in the field—perhaps the major player.... Offers surprisingly deep glimpses into what it is to be human” ( The New York Times Book Review). 

Are we really on the brink of having robots to mop our floors, do our dishes, mow our lawns, and clean our windows? And are researchers that close to creating robots that can think, feel, repair themselves, and even reproduce?

Rodney A. Brooks believes we are. In this lucid and accessible book, Brooks vividly depicts the history of robots and explores the ever-changing relationships between humans and their technological brethren, speculating on the growing role that robots will play in our existence. Knowing the moral battle likely to ensue, he posits a clear philosophical argument as to why we should not fear that change. What results is a fascinating book that offers a deeper understanding of who we are and how we can control what we will become.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Technology, Philosophy, Artificial Intelligence, Robots

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Former director of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-founder of iRobot.

Reviews

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book at first. It's very definitely a popular book, geared towards readers with little or no knowledge of robotics, programming, or AI. (Though even a moderate background in any of these subjects will probably enhance appreciation of the book.) The discussions of how to overcome various problems in robotics are interesting, as is his history of the discipline. (I had no idea that Hero of Alexandria had built pneumatic automata and a primitive steam engine.) However, the book falters in the last three chapters, as the author rebuts theorists he disagrees with, and tries to argue that humans and robots are both machines. (I will concede that humans are systems but feel that calling them machines stretches that word too much. This semantic quibble might be mitigated if the author had explicitly defined machine, but he didn't, that I noticed.)

This book was published in 2002, and there is no real awareness of energy and sustainability issues that I noticed.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing but dense. Shines in the first portion where it discusses societies' historical anxieties about robots, including how ideas of what that means have expanded over the years.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just got this book. Cant wait to read it. I will be diving into it tonight.

Sean

[Cobi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty dogshit. Would rather get shot in the face than hang out with this guy i think. I dont care about technology until i’m able to fly around in one of the big purple Covenant ships you get to fly in Halo. Does anyone want to hang out tonight

[Sam Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - dated but really interesting at times. The last few chapters can be thrown away. Author helped start iRobot and was a professor at MIT. He made some great predictions about the future of technology and some not so great ones. Interested to see what else he has written.

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pop-sci account of the advances in robotics into the new millennium. A bit dated these days, but still an enjoyable read for the philosophising about the nature of humanity.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rodney Brooks is an icon in my field. He discusses his work in creating robots that don't perform heavy cognitive computations but rather have direct sensory to motor action loops. His motivation for this came from Walter Grey who built simple robots with complicated behavior resulting in multiple sensory simple systems interacting on motor systems in complex ways.

He believes the future of robotics in human society will be greatly beneficial. He neither subscribes to an utopic or dystopic future.

[Bill White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated now (2002), but a good read. I especially like the B-52 analogy in the epilogue. The aircraft has not changed that much in outward (bodily) appearance, but internally it is nothing like the what flew 50 years ago (how many technologies survive for this long? I hate to say it but much of our technology is driven by military research. Eg: ARPA -> Internet.) Our human bodies are changing in the same ways, incorporating new technologies and adaptively retrofitting until we eventually merge with our technology.

[Endria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robots and technology are the future. The techie/regular people divide need not be so wide. Learn as much about what's happening in fields far from home as you can - and it's super interesting to read about what big brains are doing at MIT.

[Mr · Rating 2 out of 5]

dont remember that much, must not have been good

[Madleetgeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun look at the world of AI through one of the greatest minds of out time.

[David Littlewood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found recommendation for this book while reading Michio Kaku's "Physics of the Future". Began reading on 22 June 2011.

[Electric-guitar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read, but can be long winded, got a bit more exciting towards the end. Otherwise an interesting read.

[Arash Kamangir · Rating 2 out of 5]

How can such a great scientist miss the social context of technology altogether?

[LNH · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. The book is mostly about the author's research through the years, it's only the last few chapters that are a bit more forward looking.

[Tom Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Brooks' career as a roboticist, but felt the final futurist chapters to be unnecessary.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

book about AI that looks more to evolutionary development than to computation.

[John]

nonfiction,philosophy,science,transhumanism,enhancement