3.1340 Robots and Golems (50)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 1 May 90 17:56:41 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 1340. Tuesday, 1 May 1990.


(1) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 21:12 EST (28 lines)
From: MORGAN TAMPLIN <TAMPLIN@TrentU.CA>
Subject: RE: 3.1330 Robots (33)

(2) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 22:52 EST (15 lines)
From: "N. Miller, Trinity College" <NMILLER@TRINCC>
Subject: the Golem and the Vilna Gaon

(3) Date: Tue, 01 May 90 07:15:25 IST (7 lines)
From: Daniel Boyarin <BOYARIN@TAUNIVM>
Subject: Re: 3.1330 Robots (33)

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 21:12 EST
From: MORGAN TAMPLIN <TAMPLIN@TrentU.CA>
Subject: RE: 3.1330 Robots (33)

To expand on Sheizaf's comments about Golem:

I encountered a reference to it/him in "The Naked Computer" by Jack
Rochester and John Gantz, (William Morrow, 1983), where on p. 270 he/it
is called, "The Most Famous Artificial Human. Joseph Golem, created in
1580 by the high Rabbi of Prague, Judah Ben Loew..." They mention a
computer connection but this is noted in more detail by Sherry Turkle,
1984 in "The Second Self", although it is only a tantalizing footnote:

"Several present-day AI researchers at MIT grew up with a family
tradition that they are descendants of Rabbi Loew, the creator of the
Golem, a humanlike figure made of clay into whom God's name breathed
life. These scientists include Gerald Sussman, Marvin Minsky, and Joel
Moses. Joel Moses reports that a number of other American scientists
have considered themselves to be descendents of Rabbi Loew, including
John von Neumann and Norbert Weiner." (p. 270)

As I have just joined Humanist, I don't know whether I have covered old
ground, or even if this is of interest except as "computer trivia". One
question does occur to me, though. Have these claims been substantiated
or is this just a case of Computer Science "appropriating" a mythology?

Morgan Tamplin, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
- TAMPLIN@TRENTU.CA

(2) --------------------------------------------------------------20----
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 22:52 EST
From: "N. Miller, Trinity College" <NMILLER@TRINCC>
Subject: the Golem and the Vilna Gaon

Sheizaf Rafaeli's reference to 'Elaihu Hagaon' as a key figure in the
story of the golem is intriguing. The only Eliyahu Gaon I know of was a
Lithuanian and, while he was indeed a staunch--even fierce-- enemy of
Hasidism, the legend that he created a golem is thought to be based on a
confusion with a much earlier Eliyahu of Chelm. That town is better
known for its apocryphal sages, the Chelmer Chachamim, whose
misadventures continue to entertain. Something like The Peterkin
Papers...But that's already two other stories.

Norman Miller

(3) --------------------------------------------------------------14----
Date: Tue, 01 May 90 07:15:25 IST
From: Daniel Boyarin <BOYARIN@TAUNIVM>
Subject: Re: 3.1330 Robots (33)

on sheizaf's remarks about the golem. unfortunately the protagonist was
not rabb9i eliahu of vilna, but the maharal of prague, a leading
sixteenth century authority.