Looking Backward at the Robot

  • Jana Horáková
Part of the Communications in Computer and Information Science book series (CCIS, volume 161)

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the 90 th anniversary of Karel Čapek’s drama R.U.R., Rossum’s Universal Robots (1920) first stage production at the National Theatre in Prague (1921), in which robot, in a form of drama character, was introduced to the world for the very first time. Robot had transgressed the realm of fiction to become part of realm of facts and in a form of mechanical curiosities soon became the central figure of myth of technological progress and work automation.

Keywords

robot robotics Karel Čapek R.U.R. myth mechanization automation 

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    Čapek, K.: O slově robot. Lidové Noviny 24(12), 12 (1933)Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Horáková, J., Kelemen, J.: The Robot Story: Why Robots Were Bor nand How They Grew Up. In: Husbands, P., Holland, O., Wheller, M. (eds.) The Mechanical Mind in History, pp. 283–306. The MIT Press, Cambridge (2008)Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    Horáková, J.: Robot jako robot (Robot as a robot; in Czech). Koniasch Latin Press, Prague (2010)Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Rutte, M.: Královské divadlo na Vinohradech. Národní Listy 16. 11., č. 314, 9 (1929)Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    Čep, J.: Dojmy z Anglie. Sternberg, Šternberk (2007)Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Asimov, I.: The Robot Chronicles. In: Gold – The Final Science Fiction Collection. HarperPrism (1995)Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    Huhtamo, E.: From Cybernation to Interaction: A Contribution to an Archeology of Interactivity. In: Lunenfled, P. (ed.) The Digital Dialectic: New Essays on New Media, pp. s.96–s.110. MIT Press, Cambridge (1999)Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    Chase, S.: Man and Machina. The Macmillan Copany, New York (1929)Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Mataric, M.J.: The Robotic Primer. The MIT Press, Cambridge (2007)Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    Fleck, G. (ed.): A Computer Perspective. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1973)Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Neubauer, Z.: Golem a další příběhy o kabale, symbolech a podivuhodných setkáních. Malvern, Prague (2002)Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    Čapek, J.L.: Umělý člověk. Dauphin, Prague (1997)Google Scholar
  13. 13.
    Čapek, K.: R.U.R. Prager Tagblatt, Prague 23. 9 (1933)Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Aristotle. The basic Works of Aristotle, McKeon, R. (ed.), vol. 1. Random House, New York (1941)Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    Barthes, R.L.: Mythologies. Vintage Books, London (1972)Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    Chudoba, F.: Národní dílo. In: Lidové Noviny, s. 9, 15 and 16. 12 (1933)Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    Freud, S.: The Uncanny. Penguin Books, London (2003)Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jana Horáková
    • 1
  1. 1.Faculty of ArtsMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic

Personalised recommendations