Review of Walden 3.0
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- Erin Dydek
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Review of Walden 3.0
Long-time friends and colleagues John McGann and James Massey have spent the better part of their lives working on robotics projects to improve the quality of human life. The current iteration of their robot therapist, RT9, has been successfully integrated into society as a source of efficient psychotherapy. Health insurance companies have begun to rely on the success of RT9 to provide cost-effective solutions for people who suffer from addictions, depression, and other mental health issues.
As RT9 continues to follow established protocols, its optimization process begins to evolve to tackle problems on a grander scale. But as the robot starts to gain self-awareness, other associates of McGann and Massey begin to question the decision to allow RT9 to manifest these changes unrestricted. Will McGann and Massey discover a solution that enables them to protect their families and associates from negative attention while still achieving the artificial intelligence they've spent their lifetimes pursuing? Read Walden 3.0 to find out!
If you're looking for an exciting read about clinical psychology, look no further! In this hard science fiction novel, Arthur Sullivan and Mary Houghtaling established an easy-to-follow plot that detailed the exploration of robotic development outside the parameters of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics in this fascinating field. I loved the introduction of robot intelligence based on a single rule and a simple process. The law created by McGann and Massey protected humans with unconditional positive regard. This law and the supporting optimization process enabled RT9 to learn from its mistakes in providing therapy and improve its treatment methods while gaining self-awareness. I highly enjoyed following the robot's mutations and the characters' choices.
The authors introduced an enjoyable cast of strong females and brilliant doctors as they worked as a team to monitor the progress of RT9. I loved analyzing the different patient treatments with Dr. Leila Carlyle throughout the novel. With the help of Dr. Signy Hagbard, Leila often observed intriguing changes in RT9 that revealed the progress of the mutating robot. The authors also introduced the idea of a "third man" perspective in studying the robot's developments. This "third man" brought a non-science angle to each problem that arose, and I appreciated the artistic insight that supplemented the philosophic segments of the book.
I also appreciated the romance aspect of the novel. This facet of the plot included the unlikely interactions between drastically different characters and explored the deepest part of human emotions. The book was also well edited. There was nothing that I disliked. Therefore, I give Walden 3.0 four out of four stars.
I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy science fiction novels that feature the principles of psychotherapy and research. It would also appeal to readers that enjoy the development of artificial intelligence and its consequences. There was very mild swearing and no erotic content. While this book could read as a standalone novel, I'd be interested to see further exploration of the ideas mentioned in the epilogue.
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Walden 3.0
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