Robotic Pets
I am going to predict how people are going to be with future technology in their life. I think robotic pets are going to be increasingly popular as the technology develops. At least I am going to build what I think is a strong case for this prediction.
From a neurological point of view, I do not see anything in the way to people bonding fully with robotic pets. The human brain can attach (赋予) emotions to things and respond to emotional signaling. Being alive is simply not required. From how objects move, our brains infer that they are able to act with their own will and purpose. If they move in a way that cannot be explained simply as passive (被动的) movement, then they must be moving on their own. Therefore, they can connect to the emotional centres in our brains. We either fear them, or love them, or hunger for them, or whatever. We can respond emotionally with cartoon creatures, with animals, and yes, even with robots. Our brains treat things that act alive as if they are alive — no different.
One of the opposite points that people often bring up is that they love the way their pets behave, not just look. This gets to AI, which has been developing at a fast pace. We have AI that can beat world masters in chess and go. I have no doubt we can build AI to mimic (模仿) the behaviour of dogs and cats, if not now then probably within a generation.
So we will have no problem fully emotionally bonding with a robotic pet. But this doesn't mean we would prefer such a pet. One argument against robotic pets is that they will be expensive compared to a live pet- but this is likely not to be true forever. Living pets need to be fed, and they need at least basic medical care, and they may need to be boarded at times. Also, people spend hundreds of dollars on pets, or thousands of dollars on pure bred species. Robotic pets will finally cost less in total than biological ones.
But let's get to the real reason people will prefer robotic pets at last. The possibilities for building in useful technology are endless. An advanced robotic pet could also serve as a defensive and alarm system. You could recharge your cell phone off their batteries. They could be a walking cell phone. They would be excellent companions for the elder, affording them more independence for longer. This in itself would be a huge cost saving-anything that keeps people out of a nursing home is cost-effective.
Imagination is really the only limitation, once you have the basics of a working robot. When the technology crosses a certain limit, this will be a thing. Future generations may consider keeping a living animal in your home as primitive (原始的) and cruel. They may have a point.
