Week 3: Robotics + Art
Something I have heard a lot about in my studies of Cognitive Science is Alan Turing's creation of the Turing Machine. After World War II, this marked a crucial turning point in the journey towards today’s automated and mechanized world. His groundbreaking work set the stage for the computers we use today, shifting us away from mechanical tools like Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine, and towards sophisticated and dynamic electronic systems (Vesna, “Lectures Part 3”). This paradigm shift drastically changed the conceptual framework surrounding the development of programmable machines, mirroring earlier shifts like the introduction of assembly lines that transformed how goods were produced (Vesna, “Lectures Part 2”).
The Turing Machine’s algorithmic processing has indirectly contributed to the evolution of robotics, a field initially born in response to mechanized labor (Vesna, “Industrialization, Robotics, Kinetic/Robotic art”). More specifically, the Turing Machine is an abstract computational model of modern computers, using a piece of tape divided into different cells, and thus enabling it to execute any computable function (Aron, “Alan Turing”). Learning more about the intersection of robotics and art is particularly interesting to me as someone who enjoys the overlap between technology and the humanities. Connecting this to Walter Benjamin’s famous essay called, “The Work of the Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he discusses how creating a large scale production system strips art of their “aura,” which he says is the authenticity of a work (Benjamin, 1935). Although Turing’s development was an extremely important creation for the development of the internet and creation of the first computing device, it is interesting to see this in the eyes of Walter Benjamin. In the context of the Turing Machine, creating something automated leads to a product losing its aura, and thus transforming a unique piece of art, into a politically charged ideation of war.
The film “WALL-E” vividly portrays the societal impacts of over-relying on technology. It shows a future where humans live in a completely automated world, with their every need met by robots. Their lifestyles lead to a significant disconnection from the natural world. Something particularly striking to me are the scenes showing overweight people dependent on their floating chairs, which have stuck with me since the first time I watched the movie as a child. Although “WALL-E” seems to be aimed at children, these images portray the potential consequences of living in a world dominated by machines.
Aron, Jacob. “Alan Turing.” New Scientist, www.newscientist.com/people/alan-turing/.
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility, and Other Writings on Media. 2008. Harvard University Press, https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674024458.
Vesna, Victoria. “Industrialization, Robotics, Kinetic/Robotic art.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
Vesna, Victoria. “Lectures Part 2.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
Vesna, Victoria. “Lectures Part 3.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
“Difference Engine.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/technology/Difference-Engine. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Fishwick, Paul. “Classic Turing Machine with Tape Erasure.” Medium, Creative Automata, 3 Jan. 2017, medium.com/creative-automata/classic-turing-machine-with-tape-erasure-e14870ad154e.
Maciak, Phillip. “How Wall-E Invented the iPad.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 23 Nov. 2022, slate.com/culture/2022/11/wall-e-pixar-criterion-15th-anniversary-ipad.html.
[Figure 1] Difference Engine (Britannica)
The Turing Machine’s algorithmic processing has indirectly contributed to the evolution of robotics, a field initially born in response to mechanized labor (Vesna, “Industrialization, Robotics, Kinetic/Robotic art”). More specifically, the Turing Machine is an abstract computational model of modern computers, using a piece of tape divided into different cells, and thus enabling it to execute any computable function (Aron, “Alan Turing”). Learning more about the intersection of robotics and art is particularly interesting to me as someone who enjoys the overlap between technology and the humanities. Connecting this to Walter Benjamin’s famous essay called, “The Work of the Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he discusses how creating a large scale production system strips art of their “aura,” which he says is the authenticity of a work (Benjamin, 1935). Although Turing’s development was an extremely important creation for the development of the internet and creation of the first computing device, it is interesting to see this in the eyes of Walter Benjamin. In the context of the Turing Machine, creating something automated leads to a product losing its aura, and thus transforming a unique piece of art, into a politically charged ideation of war.
[Figure 2] Turing Machine (Medium)
The film “WALL-E” vividly portrays the societal impacts of over-relying on technology. It shows a future where humans live in a completely automated world, with their every need met by robots. Their lifestyles lead to a significant disconnection from the natural world. Something particularly striking to me are the scenes showing overweight people dependent on their floating chairs, which have stuck with me since the first time I watched the movie as a child. Although “WALL-E” seems to be aimed at children, these images portray the potential consequences of living in a world dominated by machines.
[Figure 3] WALL-E (Slate)
Works Cited
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility, and Other Writings on Media. 2008. Harvard University Press, https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674024458.
Vesna, Victoria. “Industrialization, Robotics, Kinetic/Robotic art.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
Vesna, Victoria. “Lectures Part 2.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
Vesna, Victoria. “Lectures Part 3.” Bruinlearn. https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/183769/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6671238.
Image Citations
Fishwick, Paul. “Classic Turing Machine with Tape Erasure.” Medium, Creative Automata, 3 Jan. 2017, medium.com/creative-automata/classic-turing-machine-with-tape-erasure-e14870ad154e.
Maciak, Phillip. “How Wall-E Invented the iPad.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 23 Nov. 2022, slate.com/culture/2022/11/wall-e-pixar-criterion-15th-anniversary-ipad.html.
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ReplyDeleteYou picked a great film to analyze the potential negative impacts of industrialization on society. I haven't watched "Wall-E" in a long time so I was pleased that you brought the story back to my memory. Though the movie is represented as the "future," in a way, it also represents the present. For example, the technological innovations and mass production of food has lead to an increase in obesity. It has made food cheaper and more accessible, incentivizing people to make poor diet choices.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching the movie inspired by Alan Turing and his work on decoding, and looking at the machine the movie used and thinking it was absolutely beautiful. You bring up a fascinating perspective on how art can be turned into an ideation of war. I do agree that technology is a huge factor in how objects can be manipulated and devised for personal use. Oh wow, you bringing up Wall-E unleased a core memory, and changed my thinking from a cute movie about two robots to a satirical view on humanity.
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