Robot Or Not?

If everything can be a smoothie, then nothing is. So we try to define what makes a smoothie and acts as a bulwark against the milkshake. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

I don’t know what it is, but I know it when I see it. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

We don’t know quite what an old-fashioned donut is, but we know what we like… and what we don’t. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What makes machine intelligence “real AI”? And what is the difference between strong and weak AI? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

The very definition of video entertainment from Japan. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What makes something a sport, and not an exercise or a game? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Exploring Jason’s favorite food, what a “favorite food” even is, and the hazy dividing line between condiments and other edibles. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What’s science fiction? And more importantly, is Star Wars science fiction, fantasy, or something else? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Is everything a computer chip? Is nothing a computer chip? Jason thinks this is gonna be good. John thinks it’s obvious. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What is the canon of bagels? Why are some ingredients allowed in an Everything Bagel but not any other bagel style? What makes raisins an acceptable ingredient, yet bars blueberries? Mr. Siracusa, native of the great state of New York, educates Mr. Snell, one of those California hippie types, about what a real bagel is. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What toppings are allowed on pizza? And what about using a knife and fork to eat pizza? There are many rules.

John weighs in on what makes something a pizza, including the horror of the Turkey Dinner Pizza.

Exploring what makes a sandwich, while also discussing the history of food, sandwiches as satire, and the difference between llamas and camels.

John helps Jason figure out the precise moment when a villain becomes a supervillain.

Your hosts return to where it all began and then prepare to set out for new horizons. (Robot or Not will return in two weeks with a new series of episodes.)

Are John and Jason robots? All will be revealed!

Could it be? Are we all robots?

What does a robot do when it gets to a web page with a checkbox that says “I’m not a robot”?

The gate at Jabba’s palace in “Return of the Jedi” talks to droids, or has something inside it that talks to droids. So is it a robot?

They roam the ocean, scanning for important data and relaying their information home. There are no humans on board. Are these lonely sea voyagers robots?