18th-century Quest for Artificial Life: Historical Examination
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Questions and Answers

What was remarkable about Jacques Vaucanson's mechanical duck?

  • It could move its wings, stand up and sit down (correct)
  • It could sing and dance
  • It could speak multiple languages
  • It could produce electricity

    • Why did people flock to see Vaucanson's duck in Paris?

  • They thought it could predict the weather
  • They believed it was a real living duck
  • They thought it might reflect how life worked (correct)
  • They wanted to see a stunning achievement of clockwork

    • How did Vaucanson describe the methods used by the duck for eating, digesting, and defecating?

  • Copied from ancient texts
  • Copied from his own imagination
  • Copied from other mechanical devices
  • Copied from Nature (correct)

    • What charge did Vaucanson apply to see the mechanical duck?

    <p>An admission fee equal to a week's wages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did people think about the possibility of producing an artificial creature like Vaucanson's duck?

    <p>They thought it might one day be possible to produce an artificial creature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the subject of widespread interest in Vaucanson's time?

    <p>'Artificial life' and the possibility of creating artificial creatures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the focus of Riskin's current project?

    <p>Investigating the relationship between machines and life</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Riskin, why does she study history?

    <p>To determine how the world evolved to its present state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does Riskin currently live with her husband?

    <p>Oakland, Calif.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Riskin's academic background?

    <p>Received a bachelor's degree from Harvard University</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where did Riskin spend her academic career alternating between?

    <p>Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the title of Riskin's current project?

    <p>'The Defecating Duck, or, the Very Early History of Artificial Life and Intelligence'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What materials were used by 18th-century automata makers?

    <p>Papier-mâché and wood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the focus of Riskin's research on automata?

    <p>'Illusion of life and organic materials used'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where did Riskin work before joining Stanford's History Department?

    <p>Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Riskin believe about new technologies?

    <p>'They provide extraordinary opportunities to build artificial life'</p> Signup and view all the answers

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