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"The world is really so surreal these days that it's necessary for us to blunt it somehow in order to stay sane. The artist functions to short-circuit the buffering mechanism, so that people can occasionally perceive the weirdness of things as they are."
- William Gibson
 |
| Robot Pope | ||
| An artificially intelligent robotic cardinal ascends to the Throne of St. Peter. |
It can often be difficult to choose a new pope; factions within the Vatican argue with passion. Sometimes, a compromise candidate is the only answer.
| "If he's elected," says Rabbi Mueller, "he plans an immediate time-sharing agreement with the Dalai Lama and a reciprocal plug-in with the head programmer of the Greek Orthodox church, just for starters..."
"What does he look like?" Miss Harshaw asks. Rabbi Mueller removes his sunglasses... "I can tell you that his Eminency is tall and distinguished, with a fine voice and a gentle smile..." "But he's mounted on wheels, isn't he?" Kenneth persists. "On treads," replies the rabbi, giving Kenneth a fiery, devastating look. "Treads, like a tractor has. But I don't think treads are spiritually inferior to feet, or, for that matter, to wheels..." |
| Technovelgy from Good News From the Vatican,
by Robert Silverberg. Published by Unknown in 1971 Additional resources -
|
Some people hope that a robot pope will encourage technologically-minded young people to join the Church.
Compare to the padre booth from Galactic Pot-Healer (1960) by Philip K. Dick and the proselytizing robot from Cities in Flight (1951) by James Blish.
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and Technology by Robert Silverberg
Tech news articles related to Good News From the Vatican
Tech news articles related to works by Robert Silverberg
Robot Pope-related
news articles:
- Robot 'Minister' Performs Wedding Ceremony
- I-Fairy Robot Minister Performs Wedding Ceremony
- Texas Couple Married By Computer
- Robots Converse, But Should They Count In A Minyan?
- Minister Wants To Convert Artificial Intelligences To Christianity
- BlessU-2 Robot Priest Celebrates 500th Reformation Anniversary
| Robot Hand Separate From Robot |
| Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated? |
| Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way |
| Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself |
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'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
'...the combined Wind-Suncatcher, like a spray of tulips mounted fanwise.'
'I went to the control room where the three other men were manipulating their mechanical men.'
'The low-slung monorail car, straddling its single track, bored through the shadows on a slowly rising course.'
'It was a smooth ovoid floating a few inches from the floor...'
'... he thrust in his charging arm to replenish his store of energy.'
'...the terrible Jovian gravity that made each movement an effort.'
