Worldcon 75

I’m delighted to say that I’ll be attending Worldcon 75 in Helsinki.

You can see my up to date program schedule on the con’s rather excellent website or read it below.

Look forward to seeing you there

Music and Magic

Wednesday, August 9  16:00 – 17:00

Tony Ballantyne, Leo Vladimirsky, Mrs Philippa Chapman

Music has been used as a tool for magic for a long time: the Finnish national epic Kalevala uses it extensively and Tolkien’s Middle-Earth was sung to existence! There is a clear connection between music and magic.

Evolution of the Image of the Robot

Friday, August 11  17:00 – 18:00

Tara Oakes, Tanja Sihvonen, Mary Turzillo, Tony Ballantyne

Robots are often made into the image of humans. In reality, however, robots have as many incarnations and images as there are robot creators. The panelists discuss how the image of the robot has changed and developed, both in fact and in fiction.

Signing

Saturday, August 12 14:00 – 15:00

Robot Morality

Sunday, August 13 13:00 – 14:00

Tara Oakes, Lilian Edwards, Tony Ballantyne, Su J. Sokol

With robot cars soon on our streets and with robots as caretakers questions of ethics and morals rise. How should a robot car choose to react in an accident (save passenger or save most lives)? What kinds of ethics and moral questions rise from using robots as caretakers of our children, elderly, disabled or ill. What about killer robots that are constructed by the armies of the world? Is it morally right to teach a robot to kill?