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Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships | 
 enlarge | Author: David Levy
Publisher: Harper
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $13.33
You Save: $11.62 (47%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 141298
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.4
ISBN: 0061359750
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.892
EAN: 9780061359750
ASIN: 0061359750
Publication Date: November 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Love, marriage, and sex with robots? Not in a million years? Maybe a whole lot sooner.From a leading expert in artificial intelligence comes an eye-opening, superbly argued book that explores a new level of human intimacy and relationships—with robots. From Pygmalion falling for his chiseled Galatea to Dr. Frankenstein marveling at his "modern Prometheus" to the man-meets-machine fiction of Philip K. Dick and Michael Crichton, humans have been enthralled by the possibilities of emotional relationships with their technological creations. Synthesizing cutting-edge research in robotics with the cultural history and psychology of artificial intelligence, Love and Sex with Robots explores this fascination and its far-reaching implications. Using examples drawn from around the world, David Levy shows how automata have evolved from the mechanical marvels of centuries past to the electronic androids of the modern age, and how human interactions with technology have changed over the years. Along the way, Levy explores many aspects of human relationships—the reasons we fall in love, why we form emotional attachments to animals and to virtual pets such as the Tamagotchi, and why these same attachments could extend to love for robots. He also examines the needs we seek to fulfill through sexual relationships, tracking the development of life-sized dolls, machines, and other sexual devices, and demonstrating how society's ideas about what constitutes normal sex have changed—and will continue to change—as sexual technology becomes increasingly sophisticated. Shocking but utterly convincing, Love and Sex with Robots provides insights that are surprisingly relevant to our everyday interactions with technology. This is science brought to life, and Levy makes a compelling and titillating case that the entities we once deemed cold and mechanical will soon become the objects of real companionship and human desire. Anyone reading the book with an open mind will find a wealth of fascinating material on this important new direction of intimate relationships, a direction that, before long, will be regarded as perfectly normal.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Poorly edited, but interesting ideas... September 24, 2008
The ideas are interesting ones. I think its important for people to realize how ubiquitous technology has become in every area of our lives, including love and sex. This wasn't as shocking as I originally thought, but I am a researcher in the field (AI and HCI), so I have some experience and know about how people react to robots and AI software.
While I liked the book, the editing was pretty bad. A number of sentences were obviously ungrammatical (most likely typos), and I found a number of misspelling of people's names, and incorrect citations. Perhaps the upcoming paperback will fix some of these problems?
 No love, no sex, no robots, no evolution July 16, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I am extremely disappointed in this book and am still confused why there is such a powerful taboo on this subject. Who or what is everyone afraid of? It can't be the usual suspects, the religious right. How about the feminists? The author spends a lot of time trying to pander to a (probably nonexistent) female audience. Is female approval that critical? If so, then why?
There is almost nothing in the book that matches the title. There is a rehash of various psycho-babble theories from the last century. A long but ultimately superficial review of certain erotic practices. Unsubstantiated claims that things are 'evolving'. A lot of predictions that some day someone will actually get up enough nerve to analyze and act on the subject.
If one searches the web on this topic there will be the usual zillion hits but almost none of them, except for works of science fiction, will have anything of substance to say. In many ways I get the impression the book is a sort of composite of these hits from the web.
We don't need a history lesson on the topic. Someday the Japanese will get the job done. Until then I suggest viewing the movie 'Blade Runner' for an idea of what robots might become.
 Well-researched, but a bit optimistic April 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Overall, this is a fairly thorough treatment on the subject. Mr. Levy provides a history of the use of artificial devices in human sexuality, some of the issues of sexuality in the law, and a quick glimpse at the state-of-the-art in attempts at believable computer interfaces to imitate human interaction. It's an interesting book, and delves into many of the questions that might arise with (as with any new technology) the use of robots for sexual purposes.
Mr. Levy did a lot of research on the history of changes in sexuality and the acceptance thereof, but he definitely views things through a prism of his own biases. For example, he cites the increasing acceptance of "buggery" in England through the 17th and 18th centuries, but dismisses the sharp rise in its prosecution during the 19th century. He writes about the legal issues involved with the use of robots for prostitution, replacements for human sexual partners, and human-robot marriage, and always mentions that there are ethical issues involved, but discusses none of the ethical issues in-depth. He has a very optimistic view of both how quickly and how cheaply robot sex will become; given the history of advancements in computers, this makes sense...given the history of mechanical devices (especially of such complexity and subtlety) it does not. Mr. Levy does not even mention the effect that the Uncanny Valley might have; the fact that at a certain point, anything simulating a human will become noticed not for its similarity, but the sharp contrast that its difference bring to mind.
In summary, this book is a thorough argument for Love and Sex with Robots, but it is not a deep discussion of the more fundamental arguments for why there might not be FemBots in everybody's future.
 Are Levy's Predictions Outlandish? March 4, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Title: Love + Sex With Robots
Author: David Levy
ISBN: 978-0-06-135975-0
After reading David Levy's fascinating Love + Sex With Robots I would have to concur that in the short term many of his ideas and predictions would appear outlandish and will be met with considerable scepticism, or downright disbelief and even hostility. However, as Levy maintains that those who doubt the prospect of computer life or robot life lack a breadth of vision similar to the doubters in the 1960s, of the possibility of artificial intelligence.
In Levy's introduction Sherry Tuckle, author of The Second Shelf is quoted wherein she states that we should be asking not what the computer will be like in the future, but instead what will humans be like?
And with this in mind, Levy begins Love + Sex With Robots analysing what kind of people we are becoming. It is his believe that huge technological advances will be accomplished by around 2050 and basically his thesis revolves around the belief that "Robots will be hugely attractive to humans as companions because of their many talents, senses, and capabilities. They will have the capacity to fall in love with humans and to make themselves romantically attractive to humans. Robots will transform human notions of love and sexuality." Is all of this mind-boggling? Just look at the Japanese, who are very advanced in the science and technology of robots and who consider robots as not just toys but also rather helpers in factories, receptionists, household helpers. As Levy mentions, the interactive aspect of a robot's being is becoming an important element of its usefulness. Will they also be considered sometime in the not too distance future sex partners?
Central to his book is why should people fall in love with robots and to answer this Levy divides Love + Sex With Robots into two parts, the first exploring Love with Robots that delve into topics as why we fall in love with people, loving our pets, emotional relationships with electronic objects and falling in love with virtual people (Humanoid Robots). The second part examines why we enjoy sex, why people pay for sex, sex technologies and the mental leap to sex with robots.
Is it possible that we will have an artificial partner, husband, wife or friend, or lover and would this not challenge the notion of relationships?
Levy maintains that no longer will these artificially intelligent entities be perceived as some kind of a machine but rather human like with emotions. In fact, there is now an entire new discipline devoted to robotic psychology and robotherapy. Levy believes that by 2025 at the latest there will exist artificial-emotion technologies that will not only simulate the full range of human emotions and their appropriate responses but there will also exist nonhuman emotions peculiar only to robots.
As for love relationships with robots, Levy strongly believes that the various behavior patterns necessary to endear one human being with another are already capable of simulation and in certain instances have been simulated, using various techniques that are presently the subjects of research.
In Japan, scientists are working on robots to simulate basic facial expressions as anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise, love and disgust. The Japanese are so convinced of the importance of the interaction of robots and humans that they have invested millions of dollars in research and they have estimated that the industry could surge from about $5.2 billion in 2006 to $70 billion in 2025. Levy informs us that Toyota by 2010 plans to sell robots that can help to look after the elderly and to serve tea to guests in the home.
Love + Sex With Robots is certainly a timely book for a society that is in the process of reassessing what the future holds pertaining to human relationships with robots. Although some of us may find Levy's theories far-fetched, you still have to admit that they are thought provoking. It should be pointed out that Levy is uniquely positioned to examine the question, as he is an internationally recognized expert on artificial intelligence. In 2006 he became the first person ever to present papers on intimate relationships with robotic partners at an international conference. In addition to Love + Sex With Robots, he has also authored Robots Unlimited.
Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures
Well Researched book January 22, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I can only imagine the amount of interesting research David Levy had to do for this book. The book started off good, but got better towards the latter chapters. I found the sections on sex dolls fascinating--these sections were sociological, yet written for the lay audience.
The sections on pets creeped me out some, as did some of the early chapters. The jump of logic was unsettling at times, since I felt that Levy was truly on to something.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would suggest it to others. The audience for this book is wide--primarily a lay audience, but the sections of the book would be useful in undergraduate courses in humanities and social sciences.
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