tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4816364298830193141.post5451787173289615327..comments2023-09-23T06:39:45.134-07:00Comments on The Astronomist: Spirit, Already DeadThe Astronomisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959972471002184287noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4816364298830193141.post-61701642970153389402010-01-31T21:01:22.790-08:002010-01-31T21:01:22.790-08:00Great post and interesting things to think about. ...Great post and interesting things to think about. It is easy to anthropomorphize.<br /><br />I did love the XKCD comic. :)Joseph Smidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02583891162785742138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4816364298830193141.post-31659807285017149672010-01-31T20:10:53.343-08:002010-01-31T20:10:53.343-08:00Thanks for these words!Thanks for these words!The Astronomisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17959972471002184287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4816364298830193141.post-50015965014964485822010-01-31T17:07:08.118-08:002010-01-31T17:07:08.118-08:00http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2010/01/spir...http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2010/01/spirit-of-spirit.html<br /><br />Why do we care about poor little Spirit?<br />A robot is shutting down; why all the fuss?<br />My theory, assuming you might want to hear it—<br />It’s not just a bot: it’s a real part of <i>us</i>.<br /><br />For over six years, I could wander a planet;<br />This rover named Spirit would act as my eyes!<br />Much more than suspected, back when they began it,<br />So, yes, I’ll be sad when the poor creature dies.<br /><br />You say, “it’s a robot—it never was living!<br />It’s metal and silicon, lenses and gears!<br />Exploring the surface of Mars, unforgiving,<br />Controlled from a distance, for over six years!”<br /><br />Of course, this is true. It’s a robot, just driving;<br />It just blindly does what it’s programmed to do.<br />But it does so where <i>I</i> have no hope of surviving,<br />And when it shuts down, then <i>I’m</i> blind on Mars, too.<br /><br />I think it is good that the “death” of this rover<br />Is met with emotion—a tear, or a frown.<br />We all hit the off-switch, when our time is over…<br />I hope you’ll feel likewise when <i>I</i> power down.Cuttlefishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12249250181650725088noreply@blogger.com