(Source: http://robotregime.com/images/content/gort-bot.jpg)
Fantasy is set in an imaginary past while science fiction is set in an imaginary future, we write/read science fiction because we want to be able to solve potential limits/problems for technology in the future. (Drout, Michael D.C., 2006)
First of all I want to state that I'm pro-A.I/cybernetics/augmentations and the idea of androids walking among us. With that said, I believe that we humans should stay on the top of the hierarchy. This because the survival of our race should be the underlying backbone while we keep evolving our society. I'm also saying this from a evolutionary perspective. I like to believe that people, at some animistic/basic level will have that same type of mindset if technology goes "too far" (With that said not as far as the man did in the article, will comment more on that later).
There are of course exceptions among people who identifies/priorities animals above humans in the priority chain for what I'm guessing depends on different underlying psychological/emotional reasons. I've even meet people who spoon fed dogs and later ate from the same spoon that when asked about it given the reply "It's my baby", "I can eat anything that my baby can eat" as well as "I would give up everything for my child's happiness". There are people like this and they are right to priorities themselves equal to/or below animals/things however they like/want. It's their decision, even if it can appear uncomfortable from the outsiders perspective. But similar to religion, people can't force people to think like them when it comes to belief. And I know opening that door in an conversation about robo-ethics might sound like I'm digging my own hole but hear me out.
Anything that is self-aware and/or can think should be classed as a creature, and by that also include some kind of ethical protection (especially in the case with Kiichi Ishikawa). But however we rotate and spin the classification of what an robot is, then it's still a tool/property. So even if we change it's priority from none/object to create/object it's still within the property/ownership classification to someone else/human. So in the example of Kiichi Ishikawa then he should indeed pay cause of damage to property, but he should should also pay damage to the human based on "the creator has a responsibility of it's creation".
If for a moment look into the possible future where A.I., androids, robots has reached a higher level of self-awareness where they also possess a personality and individuality that is un-reproduce able by machine then we have indeed created life. What becomes problematic now however is that machines suddenly have the possibility to go past us in the food chain based on our knowledge, and the ability to go beyond ours (from a hive mentality standpoint, as in robots looking out for the possible best outcome for robots in whole over the outcome for humans in different scenarios). And since the robot is made by us, and follows our logic then it's probably going to have a human based mentality, which should be a concern. Cause suddenly they are by definition (partly human) also above animals by our perspective.
With that said, I believe that cyborgs (humans with augmentations) are still humans. Just because you have better vision or a replaced body part or a mechanical heart doesn't mean that your less of a human. You only happen have augmentations attached to you to live your choice of life. The second you start to consider cyborgs as benefit humanity just because they have metal attached to them then suddenly anything created by man to help man could be considered blasphemy, which by the lack of a better phrasing "is really dumb". So let's not open that door.
But hopefully mankind will set some kind of logical limit before it even goes that far that mankind goes down in the food-chain. I.e. program/add logical laws in the programming. But that's not a reason to not also create laws for ourselves to become better civilized people, we can't and shoulder start discussing problems with other beings before we can deal with our own.
Assignment:
READ: http://www.dailydot.com/technology/robot-rights-softbank-robot-attack/
Write a few lines about if you think that robots should have a form of "human rights" and motivate their answer from an ethical point of view. Be sure to explore issues like animal rights in different societies and other issues (http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt2012071811)
Write a few lines about if you think that robots should have a form of "human rights" and motivate their answer from an ethical point of view. Be sure to explore issues like animal rights in different societies and other issues (http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt2012071811)
The additional quote in the beginning is from:
- Drout, Michael D. C. (2006). FROM HERE TO INFINITY AN EXPLORATION OF SCIENCE FICTION LITERATURE.http://www.recordedbooks.com/courses_pdf/UT079.pdf (Fetched: 2015-11-02)
Image: http://robotregime.com/images/content/gort-bot.jpg
