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bergenfx says
"So, do the machines get cancer, heart disease, etc? If not, how can they understand mortality; and without understanding mortality, how can they be humanesque?"

Ancient question, probably much older than Isaac Asimov's "The Bicentennial Man"! But my memory is only recalling vague things from the ancient world. Any classicists amongst us? Also I think I recall something from The Arabian Nights' Entrtainments - but I may be mistaken.