MIT Researcher Proposes Rights for Robots

[Grimh]

I for one think this is a great idea.

We show them that we were nice to them when we didn't have to, so they'll be more lenient toward us when they inevitably take over.

This woman, she plans ahead.

 

[Rainforce]

Eh, Just because something is animate and we can feel emotion towards it doesn't mean it needs rights.

we said the same thing about women, and now see how we're even debating about that!
*ahem*
on a more serious note, we might want to grant robots indeed rights, because there will come a time when they will be able to simulate the most basic ways of human thinking/chemical nerve interplay, so they're indistinguishable.

inb4 people thinking humans are intelligent, not easy to immitate, or special in general.
because, that's like, totally true, especially since we already have programs for voice recognition and everything but we will surely not manage to improve that and put it all together into one vaguely human-shaped machine within the next 20 years.
Because, improvement never happens and stuff.
truly, we better continue to let these puny machines do our work, what are they gonna do, COMPLAIN?

 

[Oskuro]

Do *all* articles related to robotics have to make the same Robot Apocalypse jokes?

 

[Scarim Coral]

Well considering what happen in that Animatrix two parters "The Second Renaissance part 1 and 2" I don't find this idea to be a silly one. I mean that animated shorts could had ended peacefully (and no one stuck in and sleep in a tube) if they had agreed and allow those robot to be treated as equals.
Of course if the robot wanted to be more superior than that is a different matter.

 

[Arakasi]

Humans are nothing more than highly advanced biological robots.
As such, I support this.

Though we feel that we can choose what we do, our understanding of the molecular basis of biology shows that biological processes are governed by the laws of physics and chemistry and therefore are as determined as the orbits of the planets. Recent experiments in neuroscience support the view that it is our physical brain, following the known laws of science, that determines our actions, and not some agency that exists outside those laws. For example, a study of patients undergoing awake brain surgery found that by electrically stimulating the appropriate regions of the brain, one could create in the patient the desire to move the hand, arm, or foot, or to move the lips and talk. It is hard to imagine how free will can operate if our behavior is determined by physical law, so it seems that we are no more than biological machines and that free will is just an illusion.

 

[Fasckira]

Clearly shes a furby lover.

Makes sense though, may as well start safe guarding against these sort of things now, it wont be long before someone tries to bring up a ownership of a robotic pet in court or something.

 

[Quaxar]

FREE THE ROOMBA!

On an unrelated note... I wonder if she's related to former head of MI6 Darling. Probably not. I don't know why I even brought that up...

 

[Manji187]

UNNECESSARY ANTHROPOMORHISM YO!

One's feelings about a machine do not change the actual nature (like capabilities and limitations) of the machine.

When robots have been given sentience (will take a while), we might start considering whether they should be given rights. Also, just because we might eventually be able to give robots sentience does not mean that we automatically should.

 

[Olas]

Maybe we should worry about getting everyone basic human rights first. Then we can move on to animal rights. And then maybe... if we really have absolutely nothing better to do... we can consider creating rights for our Xboxs and smartphones.

I hope the computer I'm typing this on doesn't feel too abused.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

The thing I thought about most when reading this was that; kids play with robots? That sounds like a bad idea to me. Surely a child doing everything to give an inanimate object an imitation of life is better for them than an object acting out it's own programming. God kids are gonna suck when I get old aren't they? (Although I'm sure my grandparents said the same thing).

As for robots with rights: Call me old fashioned, but I just think that's pants on head retarded. Even if they can think independently (which I imagine is a way away) they're still not living creatures. Does a TV have rights? Does a PC have rights? Does an android phone have rights? No because they aren't alive. Sounds stupid to me.

 

[Some_weirdGuy]

The robots of today and the near future are not what sci-fi stories and hollywood would have you believe. There isn't enough difference (or lack thereof as the case may be) between a robot and the thing it's mimicking to justify any unique treatment.

Thanks to sci-fi, people tend to forget what a robot actually is.

"If x terrain scenario = y.safe, action [move left leg forward] by D=q/y.safe degrees"

^This example pretty much sums up what a robot AI actually is. An electronic checklist of possible inputs, responses and outcomes. The only reason a robot is considered 'advanced' is because the actual checklist in a real robot is a lot longer than the example mentioned above, and it goes through it all rather quickly.

yeah, kinda like... how a brain works. (even down to the electronic part as it so turns out)

 

[Daverson]

As for robots with rights: Call me old fashioned, but I just think that's pants on head retarded. Even if they can think independently (which I imagine is a way away) they're still not living creatures. Does a TV have rights? Does a PC have rights? Does an android phone have rights? No because they aren't alive. Sounds stupid to me.

I know! It's just like that time they gave those savages from Africa rights! It's like they don't even know that only true Christians have souls.

(That was sarcasm, by the way.)

 

[RobDaBank]

If robots ever do become indestinguishableablblab (however you spell it) from humans, then are they not themselves alive? Consider an AI so advanced it could feel emotion and act upon it? Is that not what defines us as humans also?

 

[CardinalPiggles]

As for robots with rights: Call me old fashioned, but I just think that's pants on head retarded. Even if they can think independently (which I imagine is a way away) they're still not living creatures. Does a TV have rights? Does a PC have rights? Does an android phone have rights? No because they aren't alive. Sounds stupid to me.

I know! It's just like that time they gave those savages from Africa rights! It's like they don't even know that only true Christians have souls.

(That was sarcasm, by the way.)

Was it??? Because I couldn't tell?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Starik20X6]

Why not? The way I see it, both computers and the human brain run on electrical impulses taken in from external stimuli, so one could argue robots have intelligence, however limited. So yeah, yay for robot rights.

 

[TheBelgianGuy]

Humans are nothing more than highly advanced biological robots.
As such, I support this.

Though we feel that we can choose what we do, our understanding of the molecular basis of biology shows that biological processes are governed by the laws of physics and chemistry and therefore are as determined as the orbits of the planets. Recent experiments in neuroscience support the view that it is our physical brain, following the known laws of science, that determines our actions, and not some agency that exists outside those laws. For example, a study of patients undergoing awake brain surgery found that by electrically stimulating the appropriate regions of the brain, one could create in the patient the desire to move the hand, arm, or foot, or to move the lips and talk. It is hard to imagine how free will can operate if our behavior is determined by physical law, so it seems that we are no more than biological machines and that free will is just an illusion.

I agree strongly with this.

Machines don't live? Chemistry and physics teach us that the human body basically is nothing more than a biological machine.

Yes, machines are programmed to act the way they do. Sociology teaches us, so are we humans. We are programmed from birth, by our parents, siblings, teachers, peers, the media,... to think and feel the way we do.

The logical conclusion is to support our robotic overlords.

 

[Exocet]

Wait, that means that Ultimate Robot Fighting would never have the right to exist!

Fuck that, I want future generations to be able see Optimus Prime fighting Mecha-Godzilla for sport!