The photograph shows Wu Yulu, a farmer from Beijing, who has made 25 robots out of things he found in a tip. Each one did a different task. He called his robots 'sons' but, unfortunately, since a fire destroyed his home, he has had to sell them to try to rebuild! (Google/China Daily)
This tragedy seems to be echoed in a U.K. report issued by the Office of Science and Innovation which, after looking at the robotic industry, somberly declared: "If artificial intelligence is achieved and widely deployed, calls may be made for human rights to be extended to robots." (Al Jazeerah)
Now, call me a stirrer and a malcontent if you will, but many humans in this world have no rights at all (except perhaps the right to starve to death while they live in abject poverty) and those who have some rights, in some countries (like America), are quickly losing them.
So why then are so-called intelligent people using taxpayers money to sit around and ponder the farcical question of whether future robots should be given human rights? And if they are, will robots end up having more rights than humans?
Perhaps you can work it out. I can't!
6 comments:
"So why then are so-called intelligent people using taxpayers money to sit around and ponder the farcical question of whether future robots should be given human rights?"
because they can.
Human capability for inanity is beyond comprehension. It would not surprise me at all if someday robots were given human rights - probably MORE than real humans because the robots were a minority.
That is not directed towards minority HUMANS as a slam, either.
The human capability for inanity is infinite, Worried. I even know someone who claims to be a psychologist who cannot accept that human beings are deeply flawed and are capable of incredible evil. What can you do?
Cheers!
Betmo, I suppose the same thing applies to the dropping of nukes: because they can!
On the other hand, what a lesson in "rendering unto Ceasar"? What better demonstration of the abysmal state of human rights than for us to recognize rights for robots without first recognizing the rights of our own species.
Would it change anything? I'd like to think so.
Kvatch, some unkind persons might say that most humans are robots anyway. They produce and consume without question, much like battery hens!
Cheers!
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