During the next two weeks I need to work on making my research paper longer. I need to work on anchoring the film to the sources I found. I need to work on structure regarding the pros and cons of artificial intelligence and how it is conveyed in the film. The body of my essay and formulating quote sandwiches are where I need the most aid.

Close Reading of Film Stills in I, Robot.

Figure 4
Detective Spooner looks very tense and aggressive even. The still does not display Sonny's face, which could possibly be symbolic of the fact that it does not matter what robots think of human beings in the film. The entirety of the plot revolves around Spooner's prejudice against the robotics, rightfully so at some points, however, the next still I will discuss shows them shaking hands. Despite this fact, I think that Detective Spooner's intentions were justified through other scenes in the film.

Figure 6
This film still shows Detective Spooner and Sonny shaking hands, making amends. There seems to be a sense of companionship after all that they have been through. I believe it is also symbolic of each party respecting their role. Turmoil can occur between two human beings when roles are not clear, so the extreme nature of Spooner and Sonny's conflict is reasonable.

I think looking at film stills as opposed to watching a movie fluidly gives me a chance to acknowledge the emotions being conveyed in a scene. I think this is a more effective way to analyze a film.

My Milestone #3 Research Game Plan

My topic is the portrayal of robots in film. My works cited page is lacking scholarly articles and one miscellaneous source. I currently have 5 out of the required seven sources.

Blog Assignment #1

Based on several popular, scholarly articles, I will argue that the portrayal of robotics and artificial intelligence in the film "I,Robot" is largely optimistic and can reap many benefits when utilized correctly. In the film, the main character faces conflict with robots attempting to emulate human emotions.

One of my sources that I will be using for my research paper is a book titled "Human No More: Digital Subjectivties, Unhuman Subjects, and the End of Anthropology". The book discusses how the online world aids in shaping identity. There is a chapter in the book titled "Manufacturing and Encountering "Human" in the age of Digital Reproduction". The chapter opens up with a quote from President Barack Obama, who was speaking to a group of students at at Science Education event. "As President, I believe that Robotics can inspire young people to pursue science and engineering. And I also want to keep an eye on those robots in case they try anything". The chapter then goes on to explain the pros and cons of steering to an extreme, and the social implications of increasing reliance on artificial intelligence systems.

Another source that I will be using is an article from the Gale Reference Library. Titled "The Paradox of Computer Mediated Communication and Identity:  Peril, Promise, and Second Life. I mention this article specifically because in a way, it extends on the whole issue of "construction of self" and diminishing "norms" mentioned in "Human No More". The article specifically states that rather than fragmenting self and identity, computer mediated communication allows us to construct new presentations of the self that might not be possible otherwise.

The Human Mind

To portray even one aspect of the human mind via a motion picture can be very subjective. While I am familiar with movies portraying different psychological phenomenon , seldom do I take the time to analyze what message the producers are trying to convey amongst the theatrical effervescence. I find that I will often poke at the parts of the film that I consider "wrong" because I only consider my personal interests and experiences. As sane as one might consider themselves to be, there can be instances where a second opinion grants otherwise. What is normal? Im a firm believer in considering multiple viewpoints on a subject equally, however, when it comes to those who professionally study the mind and deal with a multitude of people with different life circumstances, there can be some ambiguity due to perception because of one's own exposure. Gender plays a part in the way things are perceived; for instance,  in "Great Danes Lifts Temple", David Hinckley has a specific perception of Temple Grandin despite her autistic diagnosis. While there is no notion in the article that is gender biased, it is still something to be considered. While watching "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", which tells the story of a family undergoing therapy due to alcoholism and a corrupted past life, there were some additional characters that suggest huge psychological discrepancies between the mother and father, despite them both dealing with the same issues.

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