Human Mind - the wonder

"The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more."

These are the last two lines from William Wordsworth’s “The Solitary Reaper”. Wordsworth was so enchanted by a Scottish Reaper singing in the field- he could even hear the song when he moved far enough physically from the Reaper. I am sure he dint record the song in his voice recorder but rather in his mind. Wordsworth puts it as “The music in my heart” though and not the mind. Wordsworth belonged to the Romantic Age. It was much later in the modern age after Freud, that the possibilities of the human mind were discovered and recognized.


The human mind is designed to be a true masterpiece. It works as an Ipod by simply replaying your favorite song in your mind whenever you want to, it works as a camera retrieving images of those moments you spend with that special someone. It also enables you to see videos of your favorite song, when you recall them The human mind is a wonder, its power we often take for granted and overlook the tasks that it is able to perform. All the kool gizmo gadgets that men make, fail to match upto its brilliance. These gadgets also are the brainchild or do we say brainchildren of the human mind, after all. The ideas that the mind produces are translated into these gadgets.

Robot Vs Human

, My curiosity with Robotics made me hunt down some more information on them and I came across two interesting terms - Cyborg and Android. Cyborg originated from cyber organism or cybernetic organism- a human with both natural and artificial organs or systems in him. This concept makes a person with a pacemaker or an artificial kidney or those hearing implants are Cyborgs too!!! My grandpa had those hearing implants when he was on earth- so according to the definition he was a Cyborg too. Did I live with a Cyborg(my Grandpa). As far as I remember him, before he passed away, he was a human being with a very lovely spirit. I somehow cannot relate to him as a Cyborg. Specially, with the images of Cyborg I found – Never. They look scary!!

Androids, I found are robots who resemble humans in appearance and behavior. Andrew, the robot in the “Bicentennial Man” and also the TV show “Small Wonder” had Vicki who are examples of Android.

This interchange of characteristics in human and robots is increasing each day. Humans turn more robot like and robots more human like. Is this the indication of creation of a common plane where both meet – a new species, which is neither human nor robot????? Only time will tell.

But, this would mean human race losing its identity. Humans are supposed to be perishable, supposed to go through the wear and tear of time. As they grow old, along with their wrinkle they gain wisdom. That’s how they are designed by the divine engineer. Humans are the only species who enjoy the privilege of wisdom and insight.

Robots can store data into their memory which some may call knowledge, but can they possess wisdom? What is wisdom? Wisdom is processing knowledge and gaining an insight into life and beyond. Robots or machines, at the end of the day, can never gain insight or wisdom. This is because insight and wisdom is not of this world, the source of both is unknown and unseen.

Robotic humans or humane robots?

The thought of fighting death by making Robots (and artificial organs) haunted me the last two days. I also got reminded of a brilliant movie I saw - “The Bicentennial Man”, where the protagonist was a Robot. Robin Williams played the character of the Robot named Andrew.

The story is about Andrew – an NDR-series robot with positronic brain. He is owned by the Martin family which treats him more than just a Robot – he is also a friend and a member of the Family. He displays human qualities like emotion, creativity and self-awareness.

He remains unaffected by time and age, humans around him don’t. Andrew, the Robot witnesses the death of two generations of the Martin Family – including his own Master’s. Eventually, he falls in love with his Master’s grandchild. Death claims her too one day, and she is also at her deathbed. Love makes Andrew allow his positronic brain to "decay". He petitions the World Congress to recognize him as human, which would allow him to be legally married to his love before death. This turns to be an international news. This event takes place on the two-hundredth anniversary of his creation, hence the title of the movie. Finally they die together hand –in- hand.

Its quite amazing how a Robot tried to be a human being all his life – 200 years of his “lifetime”. The reverse also seems to be true. Human beings do not try to be a robot, but they turn robotic without even realising. In Albert Camus words,
“Rising, streetcar, four hours in the office or the factory, meal, streetcar, four hours of work, meal, sleep, and Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday and Saturday according to the same rhythm.”

We often live a life robotic and mechanical enough, without knowing. With time, life loses its purpose and emotions die. Tears don’t come easily as we grow old. Adults have better things to do; they have a mechanical life to live.

Can death be fought?

I used to have a guitar teacher two years back. He discontinued teaching me as he had to move to London. He is doing a PHD on Robotics out there.Yesterday, he told me how he got interested into Robotics. I was quite taken aback to know what made him delve into Robotics. It was death!!!

As a child, when his grandparents or someone in the family died, he hated the feeling. (Most of us do hate it when death claims our loved ones). He wanted to have human beings forever beside him. And that gave his young mind an idea- he wondered can't there be an artificial heart, an artificial mind in the human body that would make them live longer or forever? Human body is perishable, but machines in their body would last longer,much longer. This thought led onto the interest in Robots - a body made of all artificial components. That was the connection between Robotics and death in his life.

That was an innocent child’s mind trying to find ways to fight death- but is fighting death possible? No. Death cannot be fought with even the most powerful Technology. But,the good news is that death is not the end. Loved ones whom we lose are somewhere experiencing life after death. What? Where? and how are they? Thats the mystery.