"Desert Island Robot" (US) Peter Brown Relay Press "In a deserted land, machines and life dance together, and love and programs compete." The animated film "Desert Island Robot" that is currently being released tells the story of how a robot Rose... A story about raising a little

"Desert Island Robot" (United States)

Peter Brown Relay Publishing House

"In a deserted land, machines dance with life, and love and programs compete." The animated film "Desert Island Robot " currently in theaters tells the story of a The story of how the robot Rose raised a little gray goose on a desert island and trained him to become the leader of the goose team. The film is adapted from Peter Brown's best-selling book of the same name (the Chinese book is translated as "Desert Island Robot", and the little gray goose in the movie is a little wild goose in the book).

"Desert Island Robot" is the first novel written by Peter Brown. At first, he drew a robot in a tree in his notebook, and this scene became the inspiration for his creation. He then began to delve into knowledge about robots, artificial intelligence, ecology, and animal behavior, which further inspired him to create a story about robots surviving in the wilderness. It took him several years to complete the work. All the efforts were worth it. "Desert Island Robot" and its series of books were very popular, with more than 3.4 million copies sold worldwide, and the copyrights were exported to 30 countries and regions.

This is a work with very rich connotations. To a certain extent, the story of the robot Rose can symbolize the birth of maternal love: without being prepared, she became a mother by mistake, and then how to fulfill herself. motherhood.

Rose was originally a standard model robot manufactured on the production line. During a sea shipment, the ship she was traveling on had an accident. Rose was washed up on a desert island by the waves, and the other robots were all broken into pieces. A group of sea otters accidentally touched the start switch on Rose's body, and Rose was activated. Later, Rose picked up a wild goose egg and hatched a little wild goose. The little wild goose chased after the robot as its mother. And the robot's originally defined program was also broken, and a story about love unfolded between the machine and the goose.

For the robot, what needs to be completed is a program or a command. At the beginning, the robot will only perform the task very mechanically. But gradually, an emotional attachment develops between the two. "There is no mother more attentive than Rose. She is always by his side, always ready to answer her son's questions, or play with him, or put him to sleep, or rescue him from the brink of danger. Her computer brain is stuffed Filled with various parenting suggestions, coupled with her own experiences and lessons, the robot gradually became a great mother. "

If the machine's program represents the rational side, then what about other wild animals' instincts such as reproduction and killing. Not a natural process. Whether fulfilling parental duties mechanically or instinctively is not true love. I think there is a very good change in the movie. Seeing the little gray goose growing up and about to leave the nest, the robot mother also feels reluctant to leave. At this time, there is a classic line in the movie. The fox said that the child must learn to be independent one day, and the robot said that it should try to make him independent near home. The fox said: "It seems that mothers are like this. They are worried about their children being hurt and always want to protect them, but the children will eventually have their own world." No matter how reluctant you are to give up, in order to facilitate the growth of the little gray goose, he must be allowed to grow up. Catch up with the migrating army in autumn. Love in the world is often for getting together, but only the love between parents and children is for a calm separation.

The setting of this science fiction work is actually based on science. Why does the little wild goose in the book (the little gray goose in the movie) think of the robot as its mother? It's because the first moving object the little wild goose sees after hatching is the robot, so it will keep following the robot. The creative inspiration here should come from the imprinting effect. The imprinting effect was first proposed by the Austrian zoologist Lorenz. He found that in the early and specific sensitive stages of some animals' lives, the earliest moving objects they saw would cause them to produce irreversible learning behaviors. For example, newly hatched wild geese and gray geese will chase after the mother goose or goose they first see. If they see a human being, they will follow them.

The imprinting effect has three characteristics: first, it occurs in a specific sensitive period; second, it is irreversible and is difficult to change once formed; third, the imprinted object does not necessarily have to be one's biological parents or the same kind, as long as it occurs in a specific period. Time will follow when a suitable object appears. Therefore, in education, we must make good use of the imprinting effect to establish a healthy attachment relationship.

For example, during the critical periods of children's growth, such as the language development period, the sensitive period of order, etc., it is necessary to give them correct guidance and rich stimulation, communicate more with children, and stimulate children's enthusiasm for learning. Parents' words and deeds can also guide children to be positively influenced in a subtle way. At the same time, children's progress and good behavior can be strengthened through praise and incentives, and their self-confidence and motivation to learn can be enhanced. Of course, wrong behaviors must also be corrected. A positive learning atmosphere in the early years, a colorful learning environment, a warm and safe environment, and positive interactions can encourage children to explore freely and ignite their passion for learning. Just like what the American poet Whitman wrote in the poem "There Was a Child Stepping Ahead":

"There was a child who walked forward every day, and the first thing he saw became a part of him. Or the early blooming lilacs, the green grass, the gorgeous morning glow, the red and white alfalfa, the curious fish in the pond, the beautiful and charming lake water, and the elegant water plants in the pond. Swaying. All of this has become a part of this child. "

The poem uses imagery to emphasize the profound impact of the first things a child comes into contact with when growing up, and also inspires us to pay attention to children's early education. Because they will be shaped by the love they receive, the books they read, and the paths they walk.

General manager and senior editor-in-chief of Jiale Publishing House, the Chinese version publisher of "Desert Island Robot" Bai Bing believes that this work is "not just a story about the robot Rose becoming a mother, but also adventure, science fiction, and emotion. "There are maternal love, the conflict between nature and technology, as well as moral and ethical speculation in the era of artificial intelligence. There are many unique educational concepts, and everyone will get a unique feeling from them." Cao Wenxuan, a professor at Peking University, commented: "The protagonist robot in the book. The thinking ability, compassion and sense of justice displayed by Rose on the desert island make it transcend the category of machines and become closer to humans. "

"Desert Island Robot" is a science fiction story, and its core is the birth of love. , the development of artificial intelligence and the relationship between people and technology. Although today's robots do not yet have autonomous consciousness and emotional interaction and can only strictly follow procedures, it can enlighten us on how humans can avoid being replaced by machines in an era of rapid development of artificial intelligence, and what the meaning of being human is. What we want to cultivate in our children is the ability that is different from machines, that is, the ability to think independently, a feeling of compassion for others, and a love that embraces all rivers... These are all forces that cannot be ignored in promoting the progress of human history.

Source: Beijing Evening News

Author: Li Zhengrong