A title that probably needed a second look, eh? But seriously folks ...
This article raises all sorts of issues about human interface GUI's etc. HAve you ever wondered what makes people choose their lifts' voices genders? OR other kinds of automated public announcement systems. Well I have but it's not explicitly dealt with in this artilce but the kinds of things it involves are in there. What perception is there of which kinds of voice. Since interactive devices [robots if you will] are likely to be a bigger part of our lives publically or privately perhaps we should think a bit more about apparent/presenting gender in relation to such devices. What difference does it make both in terms of 'ergonomics' and in terms of the wider social implications of gender stereotypes or otherwise?
The other implication it seems to me is about the anthropology of it: we relate to the other communicationally as personal -we can't avoid it, it seems; we personalise our computer, our cars, fridges etc etc etc and gender assignment is inevitably a part of that. Can we relate to the other without it? And then what might any answer you or I give to that set of questions/issues say about relating to God?
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