Transformers and Philosophy Page 27

  _________

  1 Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Section 1, line 1094a3.

  2 Foot, Natural Goodness (2001), p. 47.

  3 Rand, “The Objectivist Ethics,” in The Virtue of Selfishness (1964), p. 28.

  4 See Mises, Human Action: A Treatise on Economics (1949; Scholar’s Edition 1998), pp. 158–163; http://mises.org/resources/3250.

  5 David Schmidtz argues that desert is not merely backwards-looking, given only as a compensatory reward; it can also be forward-looking, promissory: we can come to deserve something on the basis of what we do after receiving it. Deserving and earning are not interchangeable, however. Something can only be earned after the work is done. Nevertheless, it is possible to do justice to unearned opportunities. See Schmidtz, Elements of Justice (2006), pp. 31–70.

  About the Authors

  ROBERT ARP earned his PhD in philosophy from St. Louis University, and has many interests including ontology, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of biology. He now works as an analyst for The Analysis Group LLC with the US Air Force on their information sharing system. He may have met a transformer, in the guise of a fighter jet, but he never would have known!

  ADAM BARKMAN is an assistant professor of philosophy at Yonsei University. Like his first Transformer, Bluestreak, Adam doesn’t stay idle long: he has published over twenty essays on popular culture and philosophy in various books and journals and has traveled to some forty countries. He’s the author of C.S. Lewis and Philosophy as a Way of Life: A Comprehensive Historical Examination of His Philosophical Thoughts and the co-editor (with Josef Steiff) of Manga and Philosophy. Adam lives with his wife and children in South Korea and is happy that despite being in their late twenties to early thirties, he and his bros, Jon and Joe, still have all their old Transformers.

  KEVIN S. DECKER is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Washington University. He’s the co-editor (with Jason Eberl) of Star Wars and Philosophy, Star Trek and Philosophy, and (with Richard Brown) Terminator and Philosophy. He has written on philosophical topics in popular culture such as James Bond, the films of Stanley Kubrick, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The Colbert Report. When the clock strikes twelve midnight, he turns into a giant gun; now he’s just waiting for someone to pick him up off the ground.

  KARL ERBACHER spent some of his youth in Okinawa, Japan, where the appearance of giant robot cartoons and toys were everyday expectations. Having seen many of the early cartoons in their ‘original’ Japanese (or so he thought), he was eager to participate in this book project. Karl is currently an undergraduate student at Eastern Washington University, and has aspirations to one day be a Professor of Philosophy. He’s hoping that his chapter in this book will help his writing career ‘transform and roll out’.

  M.R. EYESTONE has been a fan of Transformers cartoons, toys, and comics since the 1980s. Perhaps as part of a general refusal to grow up, he still passes a fair amount of time watching cartoons, collecting toys, and reading comics. He’s currently at the University of Colorado at Boulder, working towards a PhD in philosophy, teaching, and doing a lot of thinking. He keeps a figure of Optimus Prime next to the statue of Socrates above his desk.

  J. STORRS HALL is president of the Foresight Institute. He is the author of Beyond AI: Creating the Conscience of the Machine, the first full-length non-fiction treatment of machine ethics, and Nanofuture: What’s Next for Nanotechnology. Josh was the founding Chief Scientist of Nanorex Inc, is a Research Fellow of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing, and is an associate editor of the International Journal of Nanotechnology and Molecular Computation. He builds shape-changing robots in his copious spare time.

  DAVID R. KOEPSELL is an author, philosopher, and attorney-bot whose recent research focuses on the nexus of science, technology, ethics, and public policy. He’s Assistant Professor, Philosophy Section, Faculty of Technology, Policy, and Management at the Technology University of Delft, in The Netherlands, and Senior Fellow, 3TU Centre for Ethics and Technology, The Netherlands. He is also the author of Who Owns You? The Corporate Gold-Rush to Patent Your Genes (2009) and The Ontology of Cyberspace: Philosophy, Law, and the Future of Intellectual Property (2000), as well as numerous scholarly articles on law, philosophy, science, and ethics.

  NICOLAS MICHAUD lives his life under the impression that he is, in actuality, Optimus Prime. Despite the obvious problem that he is far to short to be a giant robot, he spends his time at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, and the Art Institute of Jacksonville try to convince his philosophy students of this truth. They do not believe him, yet. . . .

  COREY NEIL has an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling, a B.A. in Psychology, and has extensive experience working in the mental health field. Corey is an athletic coach and is president of the Western New York Outdoor Adventure Club. He currently works at the Center for Inquiry Research Park in Amherst, New York.

  MATTHEW PIKE is currently a Ph.D. student in Philosophy at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His childhood obsession with Transformers probably helps to explain the years he spent working as a computer programmer, secretly (or not so secretly) hoping to accidentally create artificial intelligence. In addition to his (perhaps unhealthy) interest in sci-fi and fantasy, he enjoys music composition and performance, martial arts, hiking, and arguing with friends and colleagues about a wide range of philosophical topics, including epistemology, metaphysics, science, and the philosophy of mind.

  GEOFFREY ALLAN PLAUCHÉ grew up with the Transformers cartoons, animated movie, and toys. He watched the movie on VHS so many times that he literally wore out the tape. Geoffrey recently received his Ph.D. in political science with a concentration in political philosophy from Louisiana State University. His dissertation is titled “Aristotelian Liberalism: An Inquiry into the Foundations of a Free and Flourishing Society”. He has published in the Journal of Value Inquiry and Journal of Libertarian Studies.

  GABRIEL RYE is an independent scholar who studied philosophy at Eastern Washington University. This is his first (of many) philosophical endeavors, as his abilities are more than meets the eye.

  JOHN SHOOK recalls watching many of the original cartoons when he should have been studying in college. Despite his best efforts, he managed to tear himself away enough to graduate, and he is now a professional philosopher working at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, New York, as Vice President for Education and Research. He contributed to Bruce Springsteen and Philosophy and writes books about pragmatism, naturalism, and humanism.

  MICHAEL SPICHER wishes he had taken better care of his Transformers action figures because they would be quite valuable now. He’s currently a Ph.D. student in philosophy at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Michael is convinced that the location of the All Spark is a metaphysical problem and that ‘the light will save us all’. He transforms into a harmonica and bass wielding blues musician to defend his spark against the pressures of graduate school.

  JOSEF STEIFF is probably not a robot in disguise, but he obviously has hopes for the car sitting in his driveway. Currently the Associate Chair of Film and Video at Columbia College, Joe is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Independent Filmmaking and co-editor of Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Mission Accomplished or Mission Frakked Up? Joe somehow managed to miss the whole Transformers craze when growing up, but that’s what midlife crises are for—he sure loves getting to have a second childhood so he doesn’t have to put away his toys.

  ERIC SWAN has an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola University in Maryland and is committed to helping unruly teenagers transform into respectable adults with promising futures. Eric’s personal All Spark is the beauty and poetry of life, which he expresses in his photography, poetry, drawings, love of nature, and his Seventies-plus songs. His favorite writers are Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac who he wishes were still around to critique his Transformers essay. Eric lives in the Rocky Mountains with his lovely wife (and coauthor) Liz Stillwaggon Sw
an. He does a perfect headstand.

  LIZ STILLWAGGON SWAN has been enchanted with artificial life since age four, when Santa left a little robot in her Christmas stocking. In graduate school, Liz wrote an essay tracing the contemporary fascination with robots back to the medieval obsession with automata and the alchemical recipes for creating homunculi. She has a recent article in Biology and Philosophy that she hopes will incite some philosophical interest in what artificial life can teach us about organic life. Liz lives in Colorado with her wonderful carbon-based husband, Eric Swan. She has a pretty good sticker collection.

  JAMIE WATSON loved Transformers toys when he was younger, but was never very good at transforming them. Recognizing that prospects for a career in engineering were grim, he opted for philosophy. He is currently ABD at Florida State University. In addition to his dissertation in epistemology, he’s co-authoring textbooks on ethics and critical thinking. Jamie also wrote “The Beast in Me: Evil in Cash’s Christian Worldview” for Johnny Cash and Philosophy.

  Index

  A Clockwork Orange, 214

  Adams, Douglas, 19

  Afghanistan, 211

  Ahura Mazda, 200

  aliens: civilizations, 3–5, 7–8, 13–18, 22–27, 219; contact with, 19–23

  Alien (movie), 132

  Allen, Colin, 212

  Angra Mainyu, 200

  Aquinas, Thomas, 51

  Aristotle, 31, 43–44, 48–51, 89–93, 96–97, 100–02, 148–49, 209, 220, 225, 231, 233

  artificial intelligence (AI), 4, 9, 23, 31, 69–70, 85, 130–33, 138, 183, 212–17, 219, 220, 223, 227–29, 233; life, 84–88, 129–135

  Asimov, Isaac, 212, 215

  Austin, J.L., 60

  Autobots: Acree, 145; Alpha Trion, 177–78; Beachcomber, 143; Blaster, 172; Bumblebee, 22, 33, 35, 38, 41, 45, 56–62, 69, 86, 110, 120, 132–34, 137, 157, 172, 210, 218, 231; Cliffjumper, 85, 182–83; Chromia, 139; First Aid, 148, 169; Gears, 98, 99; Grapple, 172; Hoist, 172; Hound, 98; Iron Hide, 33, 110, 185, 234; Jazz, 35, 110–120, 129; Matrix of Leadership, 98, 148, 149, 188–89; Mirage, 182–83; Mojo, 61; morality and, 25, 31, 101–01, 135, 155–163, 168–173, 180–85, 201, 205, 209–210, 234; Omega Supreme, 186; Red Alert, 184–85; Ratchet, 84–85, 99, 110, 228, 234; Prowl, 85; Sandstorm, 140; Sparkplug, 98, 149, 151; Springer, 145; Ultra Magnus, 136, 189; Wheeljack, 172

  autonomy, 23, 78, 128, 137, 172–73, 209, 214–18, 225

  Banes, Mikaela, 45, 59–60, 63, 105, 123, 134

  Batman, 200

  Battleground Earth (Hubbard), 19

  Battlestar Galactica, 127

  Bay, Michael, 60

  beauty, 145–150, 166, 189

  behaviorism, 68, 73–74

  Berkeley, George, 34

  big bang, 15

  Bishop (Alien), 132

  Blade Runner, 131

  Blades, Mark, 58

  Blakemore, C., 58

  Black, Joel, 40–41

  Bordwell, David, 59

  Buddha, 179

  Burton, Tim, 132

  Bush, George W., 170

  Bush, Stan, 175, 223

  Campbell, Joseph, 173, 179–180

  CGI (computer generated imagery), 40–41

  Child’s Play, 127

  China, 8, 71–72

  Chomsky, Noam, 31

  Clarke, Arthur C., 21

  Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Spielberg), 16

  communism, 203

  consciousness, 36, 46–49, 52–53, 61, 67, 72, 76, 129, 133–35, 140–42

  Contact (Sagan), 16

  Cooper, G. C., 58

  courage, 36, 101, 107, 111, 115, 119, 123, 124, 160, 199, 204, 226, 234

  Cowie, Helen, 58

  Cylons, 127, 132

  Data (Star Trek), 127, 131, 143

  death, 26, 48–49, 91, 97, 81–82, 98–99, 102–03, 111–13, 124, 212, 222

  Decepticons: Barricade, 134; Blitzwing, 149; Bonecrusher, 49; Brawl, 41; Frenzy, 22, 132, 133, 194; Grimlock, 100; Skyfire, 167; Soundwave, 98; Starscream, 33, 69, 78, 108, 148, 157–163, 167, 171–72, 194, 199, 200, 209, 224

  democracy, 203

  Descartes, René, 34–35, 37, 68–69, 73–74

  Dille, Flint, 168, 174

  Disney, Walt, 179

  emotion, 26, 49, 59, 70, 84–86, 92, 101, 128–29, 134, 140–44, 149, 183–84, 226

  Empedocles, 143–44

  ethics, 10–11, 14, 25, 100–01, 155–163, 172–75, 180–85, 199, 209–220

  evolutionary psychology, 180–82

  fascism, 201–05

  film, 60–62

  first contact, 3, 12, 13, 16, 23

  Foot, Philippa, 220

  Fox, Megan, 60

  freedom, 140, 166, 171–72, 202, 205, 219–220, 230–34. See also autonomy, liberty

  Friedman, Ron, 97

  friendship, 98, 100, 111–13, 116, 139, 148–49, 156–57, 167, 194, 210, 222

  Furman, Sam, 93

  Gallagher, Shaun, 35, 39

  government, 203–05

  Hall scale, 10–11

  Hawking, Stephen, 129

  Hesiod, 144

  Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy (Adams), 19

  Hitler, Adolf, 203

  Hobbes, Thomas, 158–59

  Hubbard, L. Ron, 19

  human: mind, 6, 34–35, 48, 52, 69–73, 77, 80, 92, 128–131, 196; morality, 10–11, 25, 136–37, 150, 156, 209, 219–220, 223; nature, 7, 31–32, 36, 44, 47, 52, 70, 87–90, 128, 145, 196–97, 227; replication, 5–6, 20–22, 95, 129

  Husserl, Edmund, 36–37

  identity, 45–51

  Independence Day, 19

  Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 21

  Iraq, 170, 211

  Iran, 170

  I, Robot, 214

  James, William, 196–97

  Jesus Christ, 151, 175, 179, 200

  Joker, 200

  Jung, Carl, 173

  justice, 169, 171, 177, 184–89, 230–34

  Kant, Immanuel, 150, 160–63, 209

  Kardashev scale, 3

  Kelly, Sean Dorrance, 39

  King Arthur, 174, 179

  Knight Rider, 141

  Kubrick, Stanley, 21

  LaBeouf, Shia, 60

  language, 21, 69–72, 135–36, 215–16

  Lem, Stanislaw, 17

  Lewis, C.S., 173, 174

  Lex Luthor, 200

  liberalism, 220, 230–34

  liberty, 220, 230–33

  life: biological, 49–52, 87–93, 128–130, 221–25; mechanical, 82–88, 94–99, 140–42

  Locke, John, 46

  Lord of the Rings, 41, 174

  Lou Gehrig’s disease, 129

  love: human, 73, 136, 196, 222; robotic, 139–152, 210

  loyalty, 8, 105, 113, 131, 157, 160, 163, 186, 199, 204

  Lucas, George, 41, 179

  Lumière Brothers, 62

  Mars Attacks, 132

  Martens, Ranier, 181

  megalomania, 195–97

  Megatron: evil, 35, 81, 100–01, 111–12, 127, 133, 162, 167, 171, 182, 193–97, 201–05, 208–09, 231; leadership, 90, 148–49, 156–58, 171–72, 179, 197–200 Melies, Georges, 59–60

  memory, 35, 46–49, 64, 76, 91, 129–130, 133

  Men in Black, 21

  Merleau-Ponty, Maurice, 33–35, 38–41

  mind (see also artificial intelligence, consciousness): and body, 36–37, 49–54, 67–68, 71–79, 87–99, 130–135, 141–42; continuity, 46–47, 49–51

  Minsky, Marvin, 217

  moral: development, 10–12, 94; conduct, 25, 136–37, 150, 155–57, 209, 212–220, 223; conscience, 27, 102, 165–66; heroism, 178–189; relativism, 168–171, 200; responsibility, 99–102, 113, 127–134, 137–38, 172–73, 214–18, 225

  Moravic, Hans, 138

  Moses, 179

  Mussolini, Benito, 203–04

  My Favorite Martian, 21

  nanotechnology, 4–5, 9, 11, 22 NATO, 211

  Nietsche, Friedrich, 165–68, 171

  Nineteen Eighty-Four
(Orwell), 202

  North Korea, 170

  Olson, Eric, 53

  Optimus Prime: as Orion Pax, 145, 167, 177–79; ethics, 25, 81–82, 98–102, 111, 117–120, 133, 148–150, 156–57, 161–62, 170–71, 175, 186–89, 195, 209, 220, 234; leadership, 94, 105, 112–14, 158, 167, 172–73, 177–185, 198, 202, 205

  Orwell, George, 202

  Osiris, 179

  pacifism, 25, 169, 204, 205

  peace, 8–11, 24–27, 108, 111, 114, 123, 124, 143–44, 150, 163, 169, 171, 202–05, 219–220, 228, 230

  perception, 32–42, 55–64, 67, 91, 145–47

  persons: human, 43, 44–52, 128–132, 195–96; robotic, 47–54, 127–132, 136–38, 142, 157

  phenomenology, 33–37, 40–42

  physicalism, 74–77

  Pizlo, Zygmunt, 34

  Plato, 35, 145–48, 165–68

  Prince Planet, 207

  Project Bluebook, 16

  Prometheus, 179

  radio, 14–15

  Rand, Ayn, 162–63, 226

  religion, 26–27, 73, 96–98, 102–03, 143–44, 151, 156, 159, 175, 179–180, 200

  robots: exploration, 3, 21, 23; morality, 100–03, 155–57, 180–85, 199, 208–213, 217–18; society, 7–11

  Sagan, Carl, 16

  Satan, 200

  Schiavo, Terri, 130

  search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), 14–17

  Searle, John R., 71, 73, 75

  selfishness, 156, 158–59, 171, 195–96, 226

  Shakespeare, William, 140, 179

  Shin, Nelson, 97

  Shostak, Seth, 23

  Smith, Peter K., 58

  Solaris (Lem), 17

  souls, 49–54, 73–76, 81–83, 87–99, 101–03, 141–42, 148–49, 173

  space: colonization, 7–9, 22–23, 26–27; communication, 15–18, 23; travel, 4, 7, 18, 20, 219

  Spider Man, 98–99

  Spielberg, Steven, 16

  Star Trek, 20, 23, 127, 131

  Star Wars, 41, 127, 131–132

  Stoicism, 150

  Superman, 200

  television, 17

  Telotte, J.P., 32

  Terminator, 215