1

D a r í o M e k l e r

u n i n t e l l i g e n c e

P h i l o s o p h y o f r o b o t i c s i n t h e X X I c e n t u r y

2

3

4

5

D a r í o M e k l e r

P h i l o s o p h y o f r o b o t i c s i n t h e X X I c e n t u r y

u n i n t e l l i g e n c e

a r t i f i c i a l

6

“Moder n i t y i s c on s t i tu t ed by i t s mach in e s, o f wh i ch mode r n men and women ar e mer e l y me chan i ca l r e p r oduc t i on s .”

M a r s h a l l B e r m a n

All tha t i s s o l i d me l t s in t o a i r

7

used to consider myself a modernist in the positive sense of the term, a worshipper of advance, adept of the vanguard…

In the future I saw progress, I took it for granted, in the perfecting of the artificial I could take a glimpse at the chalice of

consecration for the race in its totality , dreams of invincibility turned to a palpable reality: Machines of health, of work, of

hygiene, of exercise, of replacement, of beauty, of sexuality, of efficiency, of facilitation, of equating, of ecology, machines tools for

the positive and virtuous in men, for every man. Virginal terrain, open for possibilities in which the human mind could reflect all

that it considered affirmative and truthful in itself as a mirror in its surroundings, following unconsciously some principle f rom

yesteryear that spoke of the man made in resemblance of something else.

The machine is made in image and resemblance

of man.

Today I am skeptic. A ghost of intranquility rests as a weight on my back and before me it leads a parade of surreal visions of im-

probable machines, artifacts that shouldn’t be able to function under any logic or physical law, but they do… Abstract intangible

concepts I see materialized as infernal mechanisms that I can barely define with words, androids as men actors in ridicule liturgies

carry our virtues, but our vices as well. Human machines, machine humans… flesh and metal, at unison. I confuse them and I don’t

even know which ones are invention and which ones are truth (Maybe truth is an invention). Cryptic dreams of elusive symbolisms

reverb echoes of something unrevealed and I’m not sure if they anticipate or if they simply are. My thirst for order guides me to

find motives in them, but I’m not sure…

I

Im a g o Homi ni s Prel u d e

8

he Philosohy of robotics is organized in a

board that points in four directions, as the

needles of a windrose that floats in the ocean and is

victim of its whimsical currents. Relative directions that

when walked through, as in a sphere, they merge in their

opposite.

Philosophy of robotics in the XXI centur y

t

ro

bo

tc

s

of

t

he

t

er

re

st

ri

al

ro

bo

ti

cs

o

f

th

e

sp

ir

it

ua

l

r o b o t i c s o f t h e i n f i m a lrobotics of the excelse

9

10

“Al l our inv en t i on and pr og r e s s s e em t o r e su l t in endowing mat e r ia l f o r c e s w i th in t e l l e c tua l l i f e , and s tu l t i f y in g human l i f e in t o a mat e r ia l f o r c e .”

K a r l M a r x

The Peop l e ’s pape r Anni v e r sa r y

11

t e r r e s t r i a l

t h e

12

File the nail, file the steel and fiber, model, make up

the vision, adapt to the pattern. Cut and paste, focus

on the symmetries and polish the excess. The projec-

tions in the mirror are vague and subjective. To sub-

mit to the whims of matter and time is a cyclical and

overwhelming task.

13

14

15

The materials are the same, the configurations are different.

16

Turns after turns, barriers made out of paper and

work, small abuses gradual exploiters of patience. In

the wait, the ticks of the clock sublimate in the am-

biance, seconds get lost believing that the margins are

broader and leaving room for mistakes, but they are

not. Sand flows in only one direction.

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18

Recess and wait, times of leisure, one delights, the other annoys.

19

20

21

In d

etri

men

t of

the

ter

rain

is v

alid

to

refo

rmul

ate

the

foun

-

datio

ns a

mill

ion

times

. Ins

ects

of

vari

ed n

atio

nalit

ies

build

,

orga

nize

, pro

duce

thei

r ow

n bu

bble

s of

ord

er b

esie

ged

by th

e

oute

r ch

aotic

spa

ce.

Eve

ryth

ing

that

ree

ks o

f ot

hern

ess

is

dest

roye

d an

d as

inva

ders

thos

e fa

llen

ruin

s ar

e oc

cupi

ed a

nd

rear

med

. Litt

le b

y lit

tle f

orei

gnity

end

s in

filtr

atin

g th

roug

h

the

smal

l cra

cks

bani

shin

g oc

cupi

ers

and

retu

rnin

g th

e cy

cle

to th

e be

ginn

ing.

22

Over provoked wreckage, feeble constructing.

23

24

“… But a t r u l y g r ea t a r t i s t canno t c on c e i v e o f l i f e b e ing shown , o r b eau t y f a sh i oned , unde r any c ond i t i on s o th e r than tho s e tha t h e has s e l e c t ed .”

O s c a r W i l d e

The Ar t i s t a s Cr i t i c

25

t h e E x c e l s e

26

27

The indulgent tomes fall inside the box while outsi-

de of it green sprouts are born with their own con-

ditions, variations, and demands. To write, create,

canalize what already exists in never before thought

combinations; the labor would probably be useless,

nevertheless the continuity of the task is unquestio-

nable.

28

All that is known exists as written, all that is written is invention, all that is known is invention.

29

30

31

The dishes are innumerable, the list infinite, the flavor of each

one melds in the haste of the tasting. The frenzy increases and

with it the speed of savoring. Dead times should be indispensa-

ble for the flowering of thoughts, but it turns out to be impos-

sible, the salivation is excessive, insatiable, the potential is lost,

the sensation forgotten.

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33

Even the most refined gourmand devours trash with eagerness every once in a while.

34

The vanguard advances, devastating, transforming, and con-

verting the armies in retreat, bastions of olden structures.

Machineries of war and toy reach for the tip of the spear

and raise high the banner of change. Without noticing, they

aniquilate their own bases and turn tragically into appea-

rance. A massive question mark is what they have to offer.

35

36

The moving, mystical, eternal art knows how to keep hidden the me-chanisms by which it was created.

37

38

t h e s p i r i t u a l

39

t h e s p i r i t u a l

“A la s nue v e o d i ez no ch e s c ompr end i ó c on a l guna amar gura que nada pod ía e sp e ra r d e aque l l o s a lumnos que a c e p taban c on pas i v idad su do c t r ina y s í d e aque l l o s que a r r i e s gaban , a v e c e s, una c on t rad i c c i ón raz onabl e .”

J . L . B o r g e s Las Ruinas Ci r cu la r e s

40

The organism needs the ingestion of minor beings for its

own preservation and nourishment. These ones offer them-

selves voluntarily to sacrifice lured in by a promise, the lu-

minescence of an abyssal fish. The throat that swallows is

an ominous passage that takes but rarely gives back. In the

process, shapes and voices are united, distinctive features

disappear, and everything is turned to homogeneity ready

for an easy digestion.

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42

43

The same tedious and old recording settles with insistence and repetition.

44

The space, vast desert of the unknown, place of un-

decipherable logic and palace of the secrets of our

own fragile nature. Refuge for the celestial bodies,

the stars, grains of salt scattered on the dark conca-

vity. Cradle and tomb of the gods that dwell in the

dreams of humanity.

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46

The way of time trims dullness, simplifies pamphlets, unites myths.

47

48

49

A c

oin

activ

ates

the

mec

hani

sm a

nd th

e ri

tual

dan

ce fo

llow

s; th

e vi

sito

r

com

plet

es th

e ce

rem

ony.

Litt

le m

atte

rs w

hat t

he c

amer

a w

ould

cap

ture

,

the

only

thin

g im

port

ant i

s to

app

ropr

iate

the

slip

pery

sur

face

of t

he m

o-

men

t, co

llect

it, a

nd p

roud

ly u

phol

ster

an

anec

dote

. Bel

ievi

ng th

at th

e ja

r

fills

with

spi

ritu

al e

xper

ienc

es b

ut s

eein

g th

at it

ove

rflo

ws

with

van

ities

.

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51

Spiritual integrity at affordable prices for the devoted consumer.

52

t h e i n f i m a l

53

“Thus one po r t i on o f b e ing i s th e Pr o l i f i c , t h e o th e r th e De vour ing : t o th e d e -vour e r i t s e ems a s i f t h e p r oduc e r was in h i s cha in s, bu t i t i s no t s o, h e on l y take s po r t i on s o f ex i s t en c e and fan c i e s tha t th e who l e . But th e Pr o l i f i c w ou ld c ea s e t o b e Pr o l i f i c un l e s s th e De vour e r , a s a s ea , r e c e i v ed th e exc e s s o f h i s d e l i gh t s .”

W i l l i a m B l a k e The Mar r iag e o f Heav en & Hel l

54

The numbers march unstoppable, unpredictable, the player makes

small choices, guesses, measures. The possibilities for winning or

losing do not depend of his abilities, but in him is the election of

the game to play. Decision and chance overlap and are released

creating chaos and something along the lines of justice. How little

it matters.

55

56

In the randomness of cards, the outer chaos invited to entertain us for a moment.

57

58

The fields are ample and fertile, a geography of resources,

opportunities and sublime visions at disposition; even with

engine power, imitate the walk of the donkey. The couch is

comfortable and that well-being can take one to forget the

contemplation of the landscape. In blind stillness the course

is certain, without bumps, and to destination you’ll arrive

either way.

59

60

61

The pursuit of comfort makes the lazy one to become diligent.

62

The

inte

rnal

che

mic

al p

roce

ss p

rodu

ces

elec

tric

ities

, ene

rgie

s bo

und

for

utili

zatio

n

or d

ispo

sal i

n ot

her d

ispo

sitiv

es. T

he fl

ow th

at e

xcha

nges

bet

wee

n th

e po

les g

ener

a-

tes a

mag

netic

fiel

d w

ith d

iver

se a

nd so

met

imes

unp

redi

ctab

le re

sults

, but

in th

e la

st

stan

ce it

alw

ays

depl

etes

the

sour

ce a

nd fo

rces

its

disc

ard.

63

The internal chem

ical process produces electricities, energies bound for utilization

or disposal in other dispositives. The flow

that exchanges between the poles genera-

tes a magnetic field w

ith diverse and sometim

es unpredictable results, but in the last

stance it always depletes the source and forces its discard.

64

Extremes that separate always seem to rejoin at the opposing side

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66

The philosophy of robotics reveals itself as a metaphor of our own deranged modernity ...

67

...hidden for the blessed that prefer to act along , open for the ones ready to think over its meanderings.

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40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thr oa t o f f a i th

44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remains o f th e o ld k ingdom

48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ethno tour i sm

54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The me chan i c s o f chanc e

58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The p r in c ip l e o f s ta gna t i on

62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al t e r ed po la r i t i e s

i n f i m a l

s p i r i t u a l

.............. 38

.............. 52

69

Ind i v idua l pa t t e r n s o f b eau t y . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Mach ina t i on s o f bur eau c ra c y . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Cyc l e o f t e r r e s t r i a l t o l e ran c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Li t e ra r y s tandards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Crav ing s o f th e c r i t i c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The t r iumph o f vanguard i sm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

e x c e l s e

t e r r e s t r i a l

24 ..............

10 ................

70

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