Analyzing Message in Current and Future Relationships Between Robots and Humans

Does it appear that the author is trying to:

• express an idea or opinion?
• respond to a particular occasion or text?
• explore a topic?
• inform the reader about a topic that is often misunderstood?
• analyze, synthesize, or interpret?
• persuade readers of something?
• reflect on a topic?
• advocate for change?
• move the readers to feel a certain way?

Out of all the bullet points on page 182, which seem most relevant to your text’s message and purpose? Why?

    In reference to Valez's paper, his goals are mostly to analyze, synthesize, and interpret, and also reflect on the topic of the present and the future and how robots play a role in both time frames.  The paper could be determined as one that explores the topic of robotics.  This is another bullet point that does seem relevant to Current and Future Relationships Between Robots and Humans. He reflects significantly on the topic of robots. He dives into great detail about where they came from, where they are, and where they are going. If anything, this could be one of the main points of the paper.

Which bullet points do not seem relevant to your text’s message and purpose? Why not?

     He does seem to express his opinion on the idea, but he dives more in depth with it rather than just expressing his opinion. The fact that he gives background and foreground to what is occurring shows that he is not solely expressing his opinion. He is informing the reader about a topic; however, the topic is not necessarily misunderstood. He just is getting information out there about a topic that is relevant to what he is studying and what he is passionate about. He does not show much persuasion toward the topic either.  His stance is merely to show what he thinks. He is not trying to get readers to think one way or another. Rather, he is just informing readers what is occurring. He is certainly not advocating for a change. This goes right along with the persuasion method. He is not trying to advocate for anyone to think a certain way. He just wants people to understand the topic and to show his stance. Similar to this, he is not trying to appeal to anyones emotions or make readers feel a certain way.  Instead, he actually states how he feels and urges readers to understand where he is coming from, but to also think for themselves. 

Are there nuances and layers to the message the author/speaker is trying to get across? If so, what are they? If not, why not?

    There are not really any layers that the message is portraying. As stated earlier, the text is merely a way for Valez to show what he knows about the topic of robots and how he feels they will effect the present and future of human life. The only thing that would potentially show more depth than the presentation of an idea, is the emotion involved in the discussion of personal and intimate lives.  This is a touchy subject.  If there is any point where the text can be read on an implicit level, and analyzed to be more than what is just written, it is in the discussion about intimacy.  People feel very strongly for one thing or there other when it comes to intimacy. It is a subject that must be dealt with very carefully, and Valez does a great job of merely describing the situation and briefly stating how he feels about it.