Building a Robot to Understand Yourself

The Mystery of the Self

Philosophers and scientists have long pondered the nature of the self. What exactly is it that makes you feel like the same person every day?

Robots and the Self

One intriguing way to understand the self is by building robots. Here's how:

Sensory Perception

• Robots can sense their own bodies and the world around them, much like humans.
• For instance, when a baby touches itself, it feels different than when it touches something else. This helps the baby understand what's part of it and what's not.
• Robots can learn this too, using sensors to feel their own body parts and figure out their own shape. This is called "motor babbling."

Self-Recognition

• Robots can learn to recognize themselves in mirrors.
• They can tell the difference between their own movements and those of other robots.

The Limitations of Robots

• Robots don't have feelings or experiences like humans do.
• They can learn to predict the consequences of their actions, similar to how humans feel like they're in control of their actions.
• They can also learn to remember things and imagine the future, much like humans have a sense of time and can think about the past and future.

The Future of Robotics and the Self

• Building robots can help us understand the self better. It's a way to test our ideas about what makes us who we are.
• Who knows? Maybe one day, robots will have a sense of self too. But for now, they're just tools to help us understand ourselves better.