Phrase of the day:
"Orthopraxic robots"
Robots are being in used in religious rituals worldwide -- often because they're extremely reliable and precise, useful in traditions and rituals that prize proper execution ("orthopraxic")
The anthropologist Holly Waters notes some interesting existential questions: Can robots be better at religious observances than we humans are?
Item 8 in my Linkfest newsletter -- free to read (and pay-what-you-want subscribe) here: https://buttondown.email/clivethompson/archive/linkfest-8-tk-tk-and-tk/
When I was pretending to be a Catholic, I’m quite sure a robot could have attended mass for me.
Walk in, genuflect, kneel, stand up, kneel, confess, stand up, sit down, stand up, kneel, stand up, sit down, kneel, stand up, take communion, kneel, sit down, stand up, shake, hands, sit down, go home. An simple routine easily programmed for children, adults , and machines alike. Makes you consider what religion actually is doesn’t it?
@SpinozasHeresy @clive They deliberately manipulate your body. Using a physical connection to strengthening your memories & your connection to the church by bringing the church to mind as you go through your day. If you kneel to do some thing, a part of your mind thinks of the pew, & from the pew, to the church to the words. So many bio mechanical tricks used in religion. Alters on higher than necessary pedestals so you’re looking up, which elevates your mood…
Right? They knew about this long before Pavlov conditioned his dogs.
@SpinozasHeresy @clive Yep, and well before his failure with cats.😉