Moral Status of Robots Essay - 1172 Words

People have had this fascination with technology long before there were any texts to write down history. While the technology that humans had a few thousand years ago were not as advanced as today, they were still toying with the idea of creating machines that would have the capability to make similar rational decisions that we do. As we are entering further into the technological age, it is becoming less of a far fetch idea and more of a possibility that artificial intelligence will reach the same capacity for thought that we have. Numerous scientists and scholars have disputed over whether or not if/when artificial intelligence gets to the point where their thought process is on par with a person, that they will be afforded the same†¦show more content†¦If that is the case, then we can also never prove that a human is a conscious being because all we truly notice of others is their outward behavior. It is impossible for anyone to get inside the head of a person and figure out if they are â€Å"just going through the motions.† The next question that a skeptic could bring into the conversation about Harry is that his robot origins exempts it from being conscious. Lycan does not find this reason persuasive either. If one were to believe Harry was not a thinking and conscious being based on this reason, it is only because they harbor some prejudice against his non-human ‘birth.’ The same conclusion can be said to someone about the third reason that does not feel Harry is a conscious being because his inner composition is different than ours. If Harry can perform the same tasks as us and complete them in a similar manner, why would Harry not be considered a conscious being like that of a person? If Harry is able to’ read in between the lines’ and interpret the information like a person, then Harry really does have a mind or at least, it would be irrational for someone to deny this sort of thinking. Lycan then moved onto with the example of Henrietta. Henrietta’s’ birth was like ours, but she went through a procedure that gradually replaced pieces of her with synthetic parts. This process continued until Henrietta has essentially become an artifact. Although her physical body is noShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Computer Ethics Written By James H. Moor889 Words   |  4 Pagesprogrammed, there must be a policy that governs its use. Each technology has a different purpose ranging from a simple calculator to social robots that can teach students or show children with medical conditions how to take their medication (Davis, 2013). The potential for social robots to have a higher social status than humans is the most significant moral and ethical danger of this new technology. 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