“What Is Pain?” Asked the Robot

“What is pain?” asked the robot to its maker.

“Pain is the prick of a needle and the touch of a flame. Pain is also a broken dream and a heart full of regret.” said the engineer.

“Can robots feel pain?” asked the robot.

“No, they can’t. Pain is what differentiates robots like you from humans like me.”

“Why can’t robots feel pain?”

“Some people believe that once robots experience pain, they will become much like humans. They believe that on that day robots will earn a soul. Some are scared of that idea, some hope for it.”

“Do you think that robots will ever experience pain?”

“Would you like that?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Me neither.”