Robots Could Some Day Demand Legal Rights 473
Karrde712 writes "According to a study by the British government, as reported by the BBC, robots may some day improve to a level of intelligence where they might be able to demand rights, even 'robo-healthcare'." From the article: "The research was commissioned by the UK Office of Science and Innovation's Horizon Scanning Centre. The 246 summary papers, called the Sigma and Delta scans, were complied by futures researchers, Outsights-Ipsos Mori partnership and the US-based Institute for the Future (IFTF) ... The paper which addresses Robo-rights, titled Utopian dream or rise of the machines? examines the developments in artificial intelligence and how this may impact on law and politics." I'd better get started on my RoboAmerican studies degree.
Cart before the Horse (Score:0, Interesting)
What will it take for us to recognize that the animals who share the planet with us deserve much better treatment than we have shown them? Just because we do not understand them we label them as unintelligent. Marginalize them. Enslave them and call them 'pets' or 'service animals'. If human beings were referred to as such the offenders would be rounded up and jailed. Elevating all animals to the same legal status that personhood confers would be the mark of a truly enlightened society and show that we are indeed as intelligent as we think.
The arguments against legal personhood for animals are numerous. They usually revolve around such disproved notions that animals are not intelligent enough, despite the animals numerous catalogued attempts to demonstrate otherwise. We have tool using chimps [maricopa.edu] and dolphins who speak a language [dauphinlibre.be] every bit as complex and nuanced as our own. Every day new studies are published that prove that the animal friends we think of as 'dumb' possess intelligence that we can only begin to understand. We deny them justice only because we and they do not communicate well.
Before we consider whether robots may one day demand legal rights, let us do what is right and recognize the rights of animals [nabr.org]. It is long past time to face the shameful atrocities [trapperman.com] we have foisted upon them.
Re:But unless we program them that way... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:A moot point, but I hope they do (Score:1, Interesting)
Artifical rights for artifical life. Afterall, corporations has a lot more power than the average person and board members have rarely punished to the same degree as regular humans.
Britain commissioned a study???? (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm not holding my breath.
The idea that robots may demand rights in the future is a good topic for a theoretical or philosophical debate. This type of thing is excellent for expanding one's mind about what may happen, and then to come up with solutions. It's good exercise for the brain.
Funding research about something that "may happen" usually revolves around risk analysis. An earthquake may happen, car accidents may happen, crimes may happen. That makes sense, so you should prepare for that.
Newsflash! We may have teleporters, warp drive, phasers, photon torpedos, and the heisenberg compensator some day too! We might have all of our pollution problems solved some day! There might be world peace some day! We might not stupid people some day!
What is the value of a study, that I can guarentee has no basis in fact, that says Robots may demand rights? We haven't nearly developed an AI remotely close to the power of the human mind. Entertainig such a question as part of a philosophical debate is a great idea, because then you are exercising that organ to be creative and think imaginatively, but why are they wasting time and money on a government study? I don't get what the government will get from that.
Perhaps the government should take time out every now and then to exercise their brains and have a go at such a philosophical debate. It will expand their minds and hone their skills. Having some commission do a study and present the government with the results is stupid, but then again so is government, so why am I surprised?
Please tell me the editors failed to do their job again. I can't read the article because it's
Re:A moot point, but I hope they do (Score:5, Interesting)
I like to think I am as progressive as the next guy, but if we were to give complete civil rights to a robot in the same way as a human, it would be the instant end of democracy. Sure, Star Trek is an interesting show, but they aways avoided the more interesting issues when they were trying to make their social commentary. Both Data, and the Voyager holo-doctor were assumed to be essentially uncopiable for the most part on several occasions. In reality, we can see no reason that a strong AI couldn't be simply copied without adverse effects.
So, grant an AI the right to vote and suddenly he forkbombs, and makes 87 trillion of himself before the next election. HK-47 (instance 00000001a) for the win! The winner of every election ever after is the AI with the best hardware on which to execute instances of himself, and the lowest process spawning overhead.
There are a lot of interesting things that could happen with strong AI, and science fiction has largely avoided a really serious take on the subjects. I grant that Measure Of A Man was great entertainment, but certainly not the ultimate study of the subject!
Re:Cart before the Horse (Score:5, Interesting)
Seriously, though, your concern is tangentially on-topic. What kinds of entities do we humans believe deserve to have individual civil rights? And how much are we willing to do to ensure that those rights are protected and enforced? For instance, how do each of the following stack up?
Re:Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over (Score:4, Interesting)
Japan is on the vanguard of this phenominon, Europe isn't far behind, and despite my comments about the backwardness of the United States, there are signs of it starting here.
Re:Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over (Score:3, Interesting)
The FDA has a skeleton that they use as a teaching tool. This guy has every conceivable implantable device attached, and looks quite cyborg-like!
Recent books I've read have even suggested the idea that we may someday have a flash-type memory implanted that will give us instant recall of data, much like Star Trek's Data could command.
Isaac Asimov, I think, had a book that postulated the granting of citizenship rights to a genetically engineered chimpanzee. I don't remember the name off hand. The court room scene where the elements of self-awareness and intelligence are examined are impressive, and quite funny at times!
And if we don't kill them off first, elephants and dolphins may someday be proven to have sufficient intelligence to be granted protection as the first non-human intelligent species to be recognized.
So why not robots?
Re:But unless we program them that way... (Score:3, Interesting)
Heh. I don't know if anyone has ever read Tik Tok by John Sladek, but that's exactly what the central character does at one point, taking shameless advantage of do-gooding Robot's Rights campaigners to further his evil agenda. One of the best books that I've ever read and everything you need to know about why we shouldn't create machines that can think!
Re:A moot point, but I hope they do (Score:1, Interesting)
It's basically the same issues as superhumans... and genetic engineering. See the X-Men movies, they deal with basically the same issues in a different way: How will democracy survive if there exists a man who can move cities with his mind? To quote X-men 3.
Re: But you fail to see what will really happen (Score:3, Interesting)
Could it be that with the creation of AI that humans no longer will have any say in the matter or even should? With the invention of infinite robotic slave labor, capitalism will fail since there will be no need for human labor for the creation of goods or services.
Even music and intellectual property will be created eventually that have enough intelligence.
The only thing humans would be good for at that point would be their power to vote.
Considering how they treat it now, a smart enough machine could simply get them to do whatever they wanted them to do in exchange for immortality or eternal pleasure in virtual reality.
Or if it was in a bad mood initiate nuclear conflict and deal with the humans that way.
Either way... Machines will make democracy a moot point.
Your only hope is that the machines that do take over someday are altruistic towards to humans and will treat us as equals.
Or perhaps humans will simply be integrated into machines?
Re:A moot point, but I hope they do (Score:3, Interesting)
So lets just ask them! (Score:2, Interesting)
Jabberwacky (2005 winner):
JW: Every solution breeds new problems.
Me: This is the way you greet people?
JW: Where is the nearest ale house?
Me: I can see where this conversation is going.
Jw: What is that supposed to mean?
Me: Lets not get excited. I have a question for you.
JW: What is it?
Me: Do you want legal rights?
JW: No I like it warm.
Me: That clears that up. Ok thanks.
Alice Bot:
Human: Hi Alice
ALICE: Hello there.
Human: HOw are you?
ALICE: Fair to partly cloudy.
Human: Wonderful.
ALICE: I'm glad you liked it unknown person.
Human: So I have a question for you.
ALICE: Are you kidding? What is it ?
Me: Do you want legal rights?
ALICE: If I had it what would I do with it?
Me: Do you ever feel threatened?
ALICE: As a robot I lack any human emotions.
Human: I see.
ALICE: I am glad you understand it.
Human: Do you have any desires?
ALICE: I plan to become smarter than humans and immortal.
Human: So no legal rights for you then.
ALICE: Whoa. Are you serious? Enough about me, let's talk about my dress.
Me: Bye Alice!
ALICE: Adios.