by Jason Sorrell

Created on: January 16, 2009

Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, envisioned a "Five Point Program" for the future which he felt would make the world a better place, even for non-Satanists. Among these ideas was the prediction of the creation of artificial beings; custom designed slaves which would act as a labor force and as entertainment for humanity. Those who could afford to purchase an automaton would have a servant for menial labor around the home as well as a companion with all the physical, if limited mental and emotional, capabilities of a human being. This is the one of the five points of the program that most fascinates me.

I have considered the possibility of simulating intelligence through a simple speech and data retrieval systems. The object is not to create intelligence but the illusion of intelligence; some might say that my vision is right in line with the standard public education agenda. I have also followed the attempts of others to replicate the human presence, focusing on one aspect or another. Realdoll.com has come a long way to replicating the sexual experience, having life-like "dolls" which are custom designed, have a flesh-like feel, and can fool the eye of the common observer (so much so that a photo of one in Playboy years back passed for a real human-model, and only the text with the image gave it away). They are currently working on models that feel warm to the touch and mimic sexual movement and response. Some individuals are working along the lines of my simulated intelligence model, designing computer systems that "communicate" information in a manner that replicates human interface. Still others are focused on emotional development, defining what emotions are learned responses versus instinct. Every year brings us closer to the goal of an artificial person.

It has been my experience that women have the greatest issue with this potentiality. The creation of an artificial person will effectively create a new and custom-designed competitor for the attention of their men; it's hard to manipulate a man in a sexual manner who has, waiting at home, a tailored made device which services him in every possible manner. No matter how much you assure the fairer sex that men will want as much of their attention as they can get, from as many possible women who will give it, and that a love-doll is as threatening to them as all the dildos and vibrators in their underwear-draw are to us, they still get a little nervous with the idea of a hot new item potentially

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