Rene Descartes was invited by Queen Christina of Sweden to serve as her private tutor a year before his death, in 1649. On board, he presented a young woman as his daughter Francine but after departing they never saw her again; suspicion amongst crewmembers escalated so much that they broke into Descartes' cabin to see for themselves and found a life-sized female anime sex doll made of leather and metal that looked exactly like Francine that they were terrified and threw it overboard!
Anthony Ferguson recounts this unusual tale in his 2010 book "The anime Sex Doll: A History," but admits it may be fictional and/or suspicious. Still, Descartes was known to have experimented with automaton creation and even had a daughter whom he named Francine who tragically passed away nine years before their journey to Sweden at only five. - Advertorial-
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We may never know exactly why the master of logic created his sex doll; however, its sailors knew at least one possible use for it: in 17th-century seafaring vessels embarking on long journeys around the globe, sailors began carrying prototype inflatable dolls known as dames de voyage for use during sexual encounters on longer voyages. These devices featured fabric attached to bamboo poles resembling human female bodies dressed with dresses available to anyone seeking an outlet for their sexual desires.
A French catalog from 1904 boasted of dolls that "offer no risk of blackmail, jealousy, argument or disease. They are always available and always obedient."
Seafarers from the Low Countries created these anime sex dolls torso of stretched leather on rattan. When trading with Japan in the 18th century, some were left behind and became known as "Dutch wives," an epithet for dolls of inferior workmanship.
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Ovid's "Metamorphoses" tells us of artificial partners with far deeper poetic and mythic roots; for instance, Ovid notes in one chapter how Cypriot sculptor Pygmalion did not have an exclusively platonic relationship with Galatea, whom he had created by carving. He became frustrated by his relationships with flesh-and-blood women, so decided to seek help elsewhere. "He would often move his hands in search of flesh... or could this be ivory only?"... He kisses, she returns, all [her adornments] fit her beautifully, yet she seems more beautiful bare, so he spreads out a red coverlet for her to lie on while taking her into bed and placing a soft pillow beneath her head, calling her his Darling Love ("My Darling, my Darling!"). And when Venus answers Pygmalion's prayers by giving life to his statue, "Pygmalion returned / To where the maiden lay and laid beside her; kissing and caressing her breast as she seemed to glow with color; finally kissing and stroked it with his tongue" (translation by Rolfe Humphries in 1955).
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As not everyone can rely on divine intervention, technology plays an increasingly significant role in human affairs. Nathaniel, the protagonist in E.T.A. Hoffmann's tale "The Sandman", is a young student with artistic leanings and melancholy tendencies who has recently found himself engaged to Clara who does not share these tendencies. Nathaniel is haunted by memories of his father's violent death at the hands of someone whom he believes to be "The Sandman", an imaginary figure believed by all children but only.
Nathaniel meets Olympia, his teacher's daughter. She is described as tall, very slim, perfectly proportioned and gorgeously dressed; though almost "sightless", as though sleeping with both eyes open. Nathaniel falls hopelessly in love with Olympia; for hours she sits motionless staring into Nathaniel's eyes with an animated gaze that only intensified further when Nathaniel finally rose and kissed both hands (and likely mouth). Eventually she says: 'Ah-ah!'"
Siegmund attempts to understand his friend Nathaniel's attraction to Olympia, an uncouth woman whose every movement appears controlled by clockwork - giving an unpleasant soulless regularity of machine. Olympia frightens Siegmund and Nathaniel's other friends; Siegmund later tells Nathaniel he wants no part in her; "we would rather have nothing to do with her" was what Siegmund told Nathaniel about her. As Nathaniel watches Prof. Spalanzani quarreling about her with Coppelius merchant merchant Coppelius whom Nathaniel recognized as his childhood Sandman merchant Coppelius who then falls apart into pieces before turning out to be lifeless doll (translation by RJ. Hollingdale 1982).
EXDOLL, an EXDOLL factory located in Dalian in northeast China's port city. Credit: FRED DUFOUR/AFP / Getty Images.
Hoffmann, one of the leading figures of German Romanticism, published "The Sandman" in 1816. Four years later, Offenbach set it to music as part of an opera, while in 1891 Tchaikovsky composed music for another of Hoffman's stories titled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Unfortunately for Hoffmann himself however - having contracted syphilis while young - he died aged 46 of complications associated with it.
In 1906, German psychiatrist Ernest Jentsch mentioned "The Sandman" in a short article entitled, "On the Psychology of the Uncanny." Jentsch used unheimlich (meaning unhomely in German; translated into English as "uncanny") as the term to refer to an unpleasant sensation created when something familiar becomes foreign and different, creating anxiety about something we perceive as familiar - for instance "doubt as to whether an apparently living being really is alive and, conversely, whether an apparently lifeless object may in fact contain hidden life forms," as Jentsch wrote.
As soon as Sigmund Freud learned of Jentsch, he decided to investigate this phenomenon and its relation to Hoffmann's tale. He addressed it extensively in his 1919 article "The Uncanny," asserting that it wasn't just Olympia who caused Nathaniel anxiety but rather the Sandman's desire for plucked-out eyes - depicted throughout the tale as taking on various forms - which symbolized Oedipal complex and fear of castration for him. Freud suggests this dynamic is what leads Nathaniel away from forming healthy relationships with flesh-and-blood women like Clara and towards Olympia - an object of desire on whom he can project his yearnings without fear of rejection, refusal or castration. "[Olympia's] absolute attentiveness leaves him the entire stage; he fills her emptiness with his own thoughts and emotions," notes Hebrew-language blogger Marit Ben Israel in her Hebrew blog.
"True to Nature"
There have been reports that inflatable sex dolls were first produced under Hitler's directive so Aryan soldiers could achieve sexual satisfaction.
Two years before Jentsch published his article, enterprising entrepreneurs had already found an alternative solution to psychoanalysis for dealing with castration fears: dolls. According to French catalog from 1904, there was no fear of blackmail, jealousy, argument or disease regarding these dolls - they are always available, always obedient." Sexualist Iwan Bloch spoke at length of these "fornicatory dolls" made from rubber or other plastic materials with "genital organs represented faithfully to nature," including mimicking secretions like those from Bartholin glands using pneumatic tubes filled with oil." In his 1909 essay entitled "The Sexual Life of Our Time in Its Relations to Modern Civilization",
Oskar Kokoschka's 1915 doll may or may not have featured sophisticated features, yet in contrast with his real and disappointing love affair with Alma Mahler (widow of distinguished composer Gustav Mahler), Kokoschka never witnessed any scenes of jealousy or quarrel with it. Instead, at his request she was designed in the exact image of Alma; Kokoschka even ordered clothing and undergarment from Mahler's own seamstress as per Kokoschka's demand. Kokoschka took it with him everywhere including opera (did they watch "The Tales of Hoffmann") and carriage rides in carriage.
As was the case with Olympia, she too met an untimely end. Freud may have been aware of this scandal which likely had an influence on his article - after all, he had treated Gustav Mahler who was trying to deal with his wife's adultery. Hans Bellmer was definitely aware of Kokoschka's doll and drawn to its presence, being inspired by it himself as a German surrealist artist. Like Kokoschka, Bellmer was inspired to combat Nazism through both life and art: His disturbing, erotic dolls from 1933 were informed by both his opposition to fascism's approach to individual human beings as well as by an undisguised attraction towards a 15-year-old female cousin whom he held strong feelings towards - yet did not consummate.
Anthony Ferguson believes that Bellmer was the precursor of modern sex dolls. His uncanny, sexualized models created during the 1930s differed only in that they lacked penetration-capable orifices for use, according to him. These orifices came to existence at the end of World War II with the creation of inflatable sex dolls. Rumors swirl that Aryan dolls were first produced under Hitler's instructions so their soldiers could obtain sexual satisfaction without jeopardizing their purity by coming in contact with inferior races; however, no reliable sources can verify this fact. inflatable creations were unreliable, as they were constructed of inferior vinyl that often burst or tore when put through rigorous use. Thanks to latex, silicone and similar materials however, it finally became possible for users seeking sexual satisfaction to create durable mannequins that could withstand vigorous physical use and provide long-term sexual satisfaction.
RealDolls made by Abyss Creations come unfinished; photo credit: David McNew/ Getty Images/ AFP
Sex dolls designed to fulfill male fantasies of female "availability", "obedience", big breasts, smooth skin, youthfulness and immortality may be seen as attempts at objectifying women. Contrasting with flesh-and-blood women used in brothels for sexual encounters, certain "houses of dolls", which offer occasional use of sex mannequins, require additional deposits from those using them and require regular maintenance and handling, according to an owner of one such establishment .
But all this could soon change. Pornography, in typical fashion, quickly exploits every technological advance available for its own ends. Manufacturers of "real" dolls - state-of-the-art sex mannequins known as such - are engaged in an ambitious "Pygmalion project," seeking to produce one which not only moves autonomously but can sense movement and respond accordingly as well as use its mouth for verbal communication - giving an convincing show of life and desire.
Some individuals already enjoy spending their sexual and emotional lives alongside such dolls, using them not just as sexual objects but as objects of affection and relationships. David Levy, an expert in artificial intelligence and author of "Love and Sex with Robots," told Newsweek in 2014: "I believe loving sex robots will be an immense boon for society... There are millions of people out there who cannot form good relationships due to various reasons - among these is author David Mills who proudly owns one called RealDoll which Vanity Fair called: "Rolls-Royce among sex dolls." Mills even spoke about his ownership experience when speaking about his RealDoll in 2015 when speaking to them at length about its ownership in 2015 when speaking.
Mills told the magazine his primary personality conflict was being attracted to women but disliking being around people. He described his traumatic first encounter with his doll - how it tickled at first but quickly transformed into horror as soon as it opened - then finally being shocked at its horrifying human-like features; leaving Mills horrified as she stared directly back. Matt McMullen of Abyss Creations created it.
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Threatening Uncanniness
Sexual robots will be an asset to society as there are millions of individuals who cannot form healthy relationships on their own.'
McMullen and his competitors must navigate not just an abyss in order to create the ideal sex doll bot; their obstacle is more specifically, the "uncanny valley." In the 1970s when pornographic technology was still predominantly cinematic, Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori proposed his own theory in computer sciences that when we interact with an almost perfect humanoid we are struck with the same nightmarish sensation Mills experienced when first exposed to "his" doll - just like Siegmund did when encountering Olympia a few minutes later.
Mori explained that communicating with robots that differ greatly from humans does not present any difficulties; conversely, perfect imitation can remove this unpleasant feeling, but anything in-between induces anxiety for Jentsch's article and Hoffmann's "The Sandman", representing fear of something not alive nor dead. Roboticists, computerized animation and AI experts strive to overcome such threats of uncanniness or oddness on the path toward Alan Turing's holy grail - an artificial being capable of convincing us it exists.
Today, however, Turing's test [designed to demonstrate AI] alone may no longer suffice in convincing us of a computer's "humanity." To convince us otherwise would require both written answers and physical presence of equal weight; although female sex robots might find a simpler route through which they could pass his test: just opening their legs!
Ryan Gosling stars in "Lars and the Real Girl.
Will sex dolls serve as the pathway across Mori's "uncanny valley", or are they its embodiment? Is it easier to ignore their quasi-human qualities because they serve sexual functions? From half the population's viewpoint, perhaps yes - although one explanation might lie with biological reasons and differences in sexual psychology between women and men and how they achieve arousal and satisfaction as well as attitudes about uncanny reality.
Studies such as those at the University of Montana, reported in an article titled "Familiar and Strange: Gender, Sex and Love in the Uncanny Valley" (published in 2017 in Multimodal Technologies and Interaction), assess gender biases involved with android integration into our world. According to these studies, women were found to be more sensitive to uncanny phenomena; react negatively when exposed to them; and quicker to recognize images depicting "artificial" humanity.
Reasons for this discrepancy have yet to be fully explored and understood, although their origin may lie within biology itself. According to Claude Draude, head of gender studies at the University of Kassel in Germany, one possibility lies within characteristics of "uncanny valley," such as those associated with virtual humans and gender studies - specifically homelessness as perceived in relation to home and femininity in sociological-metaphorical terms; accordingly "uncanny" elements which threaten home environments could also be considered unfeminine and therefore "uncanny Valley" elements could represent "unfeminine".
Gender differences are also reflected in popular culture's portrayal of intimate relationships through dolls or robots, reflecting gender-based disparity in terms of intimate encounters. From dramas or romantic comedies such as "Lars and the Real Girl" or "Her," to weird Japanese porn of "Doll Inflatable," film noir of "Blade Runner," Western genre of "Westworld" or parody films such as "Austin Powers," robot dolls are always depicted with prominent feminine features like pointy breasts and velvety voices - or used to represent traditional stereotypical "feminine" roles like model housewife, nurse devoted nurse French maid or damsel in distress. There are exceptions, of course; such as robots who form intimate relationships with their owners in order not to hurt them, thus breaking one of Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics from "The Naked Sun," and Data's robot command in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," are notable. Yet most imagined relationships involve male figures engaging in intimate or subservient relations with images of artificial womanhood.
David Levy predicts in his book "Love and Sex with Robots" that robots may one day fall in love with humans by 2050, however until that occurs these "real dolls" raise moral and ethical dilemmas, while also garnering enthusiastic support. Psychologists, manufacturers and users all see them as potential remedies for sexual and emotional maladies as well as being used by elderly residents of nursing homes or disabled people as companions; their manufacturers claim these advanced robot women can even prevent prostitution, human trafficking, rape or even pedophilia from occurring.
Opponents contend that widespread availability of robotic sex machines will deepen objectification of women, encourage inter-gender alienation and facilitate dangerous escapism. They see supporters of these sex machines as supporting strange paraphilias such as necrophilia (sexual attraction to an unconscious source) or algamatophilia (sexual attraction to statues). Robosexuals disagree, insisting these creations don't harm anyone and instead provide people with a release for their urges within this "hot" technology - perhaps they provide people an outlet to release themselves! A great sex doll will be coming soon.
Hoffman's cautionary tale "The Sandman" remains more relevant than ever. Even though Nathaniel appears to have survived Olympia's loss and its subsequent discovery as her true essence - and his return to Clara and their previous life - initially it appears he has made progress, only for this trauma to push him over into insanity, ultimately leading him towards death. Falling in love with something that is neither alive nor dead will always leave one feeling disillusioned and incomplete, especially if the object of one's desire reveals all its artificiality - with even worse loneliness as a result. When anxiety of castration, intimacy, bonding or gaze or blindness sets in, giving way can only result in loss of self and loss of oneself.
