Ethical to Enslave Robots?
@thoughtprocess (2209)
United States
September 22, 2006 7:08pm CST
Should robots do our work? Some say that is what they were made to do, but human slavery used to be justified in the same way, as if God meant for certain people to be enslaved. What if robots developed consciousness, and decided they didn't like working? Would we be obligated to free them?
3 responses
@mommydearest (877)
• United States
3 Oct 06
I think it is fine. They aren't alive so they can't develop consciousness. They have no feelings. Things like that are only depicted in movies.
@Tanya8 (1733)
• Canada
22 Oct 06
I read "The Age of Spiritual Machines" by Ray Kurzwiel a few years ago. He gave examples of developments in artificial intelligence that make me think that human-like emotional states could exist in robots one day.
Although it sounds bizzare to want to put emotions into a robot, if we look at certain types of brain damage in humans, we realize how necessary emotions are for decision making.
AI research is being done with programs that evolve on their own or engage in self-learning. We are also starting to learn more about the chemistry in brains that allows emotional states to occur.
Although it would be undesirable to create robots that could get bored with mundane chores, or upset at the prospect of being dismantled or turned off, I think it's possible that we could one day create them by accident.
If we do, then we would be obligated to give them rights.
@heretic_intruder (250)
• India
19 Oct 06
Robots r meant to do a specific job and its better to dump the machine if it is not working accordingly.............robots r nothing but an integrated form of human intelligence in a new sophisticated form.
