Gods and Robots
Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology
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Narrated by:
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Adrienne Mayor
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By:
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Adrienne Mayor
About this listen
The fascinating untold story of how the ancients imagined robots and other forms of artificial life - and even invented real automated machines
The first robot to walk the earth was a bronze giant called Talos. This wondrous machine was created not by MIT Robotics Lab, but by Hephaestus, the Greek god of invention. More than 2,500 years ago, long before medieval automata, and centuries before technology made self-moving devices possible, Greek mythology was exploring ideas about creating artificial life - and grappling with still-unresolved ethical concerns about biotechne, “life through craft”. In this compelling book, Adrienne Mayor tells the fascinating story of how ancient Greek, Roman, Indian, and Chinese myths envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices, and human enhancements - and how these visions relate to and reflect the ancient invention of real animated machines.
As early as Homer, Greeks were imagining robotic servants, animated statues, and even ancient versions of Artificial Intelligence, while in Indian legend, Buddha’s precious relics were defended by robot warriors copied from Greco-Roman designs for real automata. Mythic automata appear in tales about Jason and the Argonauts, Medea, Daedalus, Prometheus, and Pandora, and many of these machines are described as being built with the same materials and methods that human artisans used to make tools and statues. And, indeed, many sophisticated animated devices were actually built in antiquity, reaching a climax with the creation of a host of automata in the ancient city of learning, Alexandria, the original Silicon Valley.
A groundbreaking account of the earliest expressions of the timeless impulse to create artificial life, Gods and Robots reveals how some of today’s most advanced innovations in robotics and AI were foreshadowed in ancient myth - and how science has always been driven by imagination. This is mythology for the age of AI.
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Critic reviews
"Dr. Mayor urges top tech bosses to closely analyse the stories of the Greeks as we close in on a future dominated by automated technologies." (Harry Pettit, Daily Mail)
"In her new book, Gods and Robots, Adrienne Mayor draws comparisons between mythical androids and ancient robots and the AI of today.... Through detailed storytelling and careful analysis of popular myths, Mayor urges readers to consider lessons learned from these stories as we set about creating a new world with AI.... Wonderful storytelling, thorough research, and impressive expertise." (Sarah Olson, Science)
"It is a place where megalomaniac leaders with an insatiable appetite for knowledge develop artificial intelligence and robots that pose grave dangers to humanity. Silicon Valley? No, Greek mythology." (Mark Bridge, The Times)
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Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.
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The Volcano Book
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By: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, and others
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Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea
- Why the Greeks Matter
- By: Thomas Cahill
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Best selling history writer Thomas Cahill continues his series on the roots of Western civilization with this volume about the contributions of ancient Greece to the development of contemporary culture. Tracing the origin of Greek culture in the migrations of armed Indo-European horsemen into Attica and the Peloponnesian peninsula, he follows their progress into the creation of the Greek city-states, the refinement of their machinery of war, and the flowering of intellectual and artistic culture.
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Super super
- By Richard on 12-28-03
By: Thomas Cahill
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The Secret History of the World
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- Narrated by: Robert Powell
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Abridged
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Here, for the first time, is a complete history of the world based on the beliefs and writings of secret societies, researched with the help of an initiate of more than one secret society.
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Not for beginners
- By Being of Light on 09-13-12
By: Jonathan Black
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Uncovering Greek Mythology: A Beginner's Guide into the World of Greek Gods and Goddesses
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- Narrated by: Jared Zak
- Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins
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Get to know the Greek gods and goddesses, from the mighty Zeus, to the temperamental Poseidon, the beautiful Aphrodite, and every character from A to Z. Who wouldn’t want to hear about Zeus and his command of lightning, Hades and how he found his bride, the wisdom of Athena, and so many other stories that capture the imagination. These stories can do more than just entertain; they can also inspire and teach us lessons that were penned by the Greeks themselves.
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Wonderful book!!
- By Laura Preston on 12-07-22
By: Lucas Russo
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Asian Journals
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At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
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What a journey!
- By Anonymous User on 08-11-18
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How Do We Look
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From prehistoric Mexico to modern Istanbul, Mary Beard looks beyond the familiar canon of Western imagery to explore the history of art, religion, and humanity. Conceived as an accompaniment to How Do We Look and The Eye of Faith, the famed Civilizations shows on PBS, renowned classicist Mary Beard has created this elegant volume on how we have looked at art.
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Really needs a PDF
- By Britt Elin Gihleengen on 12-06-18
By: Mary Beard
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Mythology
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Discover captivating beliefs of the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Vikings in this book on mythology that contains three manuscripts. The first manuscript in this bundle is the best-seller called Greek Mythology: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters.
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Where did the time Go?
- By Kenyon Martin on 04-17-18
By: Matt Clayton
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The Rise and Fall of Alexandria
- Birthplace of the Modern Mind
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- Unabridged
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Founded by Alexander the Great and built by self-styled Greek pharaohs, the city of Alexandria at its height dwarfed both Athens and Rome. It was the marvel of its age, legendary for its vast palaces, safe harbors, and magnificent lighthouse. But it was most famous for the astonishing intellectual efflorescence it fostered and the library it produced. If the European Renaissance was the "rebirth" of Western culture, then Alexandria, Egypt, was its birthplace.
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A good listen
- By Jeffrey on 10-02-08
By: Justin Pollard, and others
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Odin: The Origins, History and Evolution of the Norse God
- By: Jesse Harasta, Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Anthony R. Schlotzhauer
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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A one-eyed old man, with a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a staff. A wanderer who appears when least expected, bringing triumph or doom. The god of prophecy, poetry and fate. A shape changer. A sorcerer. The god Odin cuts a dramatic figure in Norse mythology and is still a part of the popular imagination. He is the inspiration for figures like J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey, and he still appears in modern literature as varied as Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.
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Not what I expected but enjoyable nontheless
- By Goose on 07-13-15
By: Jesse Harasta, and others
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A Brief History of the Celts
- Brief Histories
- By: Peter Berresford Ellis
- Narrated by: Christopher Oxford
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For centuries the Celts held sway in Europe. Even after their conquest by the Romans, their culture remained vigorous, ensuring that much of it endured to feed an endless fascination with Celtic history and myths, artwork and treasures. A foremost authority on the Celtic peoples and their culture, Peter Berresford Ellis presents an invigoration overview of their world. With his gift for making the scholarly accessible, he discusses the Celts' mysterious origins and early history and investigates their rich and complex society.
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A bit dry, but overall interesting
- By Lokkish on 04-13-15
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Atlantis and Other Lost Worlds
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Atlantis and Other Lost Worlds is the most up-to-date and comprehensive investigation of history's infamous sunken city. Nowhere else will you find a more dramatic and convincing presentation of the evidence for its archaeological reality.
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Good for a substitute for melatonin!
- By joshua on 02-12-19
By: Frank Joseph
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What listeners say about Gods and Robots
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- Ian K O'Malley
- 12-12-18
a great overview
Mayor does a wonderful job of job digging up ancient myths that have relevance to automation. The references alone make this a worthwhile read.
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2 people found this helpful
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- VB
- 02-06-22
Pretty fascinating stuff
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear about little-known examples from history about ancient technology! Very cool and I enjoyed this even more than her other popular book
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- Duerger Prince
- 11-25-20
Not bad.
It felt like the writer was reaching at times and felt like they didn't have quite enough material to justify the book.
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-27-19
Overall a Fun Book
Word of warning it's almost exclusively ancient Greece and there are some comparisons that are a but of a stretch, but it's still pretty cool.
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- Amazon Customer Nate
- 03-27-19
Gods and Robots
Typical of the books of Adrienne Mayor this book was wonderful. As per usual it was well researched, well organized, and well written. Having read all of her books, I have delighted in each one and constantly look for her next publication. Mayor is an outstanding scientist, a great thinker, and a fine writer.
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1 person found this helpful
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- J. C. Dunn
- 01-04-24
Fascinating stuff
The book is chock-full of interesting information and will take you off on tangents of further research, but I found the narration annoying.
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- Andre
- 09-18-23
Excellent Book
My techno-savvy brother turned me on to this book after I told him I was studying the Greek god of invention, Hephaestus, because his creations of automatons fascinated me. "Gods and Robots" invited me to hear the rest of the story, spanning centuries, continents, myths, and artifacts, as ancient peoples dreamed of and built robots. The author makes a compelling case and backs it up with exhaustive research. This book resonates with our time as we deal with the Pandora's box dilemma of AI robots. I highly recommend this book.
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- Porter Jones
- 12-30-18
Awful narrator for interesting story
The narrator’s halting delivery is distracting and off putting. Better to read the print version of this interesting tale.
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1 person found this helpful
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- C Makoski
- 10-31-19
disappointed
such a disappointment compared with the first book I read by Mayor, Greek Fire.... his book was very heavy on mythology. Not enough focus on examples of machines, robots, spent way too long on the myths associated with these things. And just because you can write a book doesn't mean you should narrate it. The performance was lackluster and there are a lot of other narrators who might've been able to breathe life into this book. I even skipped around some chapters but ultimately, even reading it out of order, would not be a book I'd recommend. I'd encourage another author to try same subject matter because it is so interesting.
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2 people found this helpful