On 6/14/07, Matt Mahoney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I don't believe this addresses the issue of machine pain. Ethics is a complex function which evolves to increase the reproductive success of a society, for example, by banning sexual practices that don't lead to reproduction. Ethics also evolves to ban harm to other members of the group, but not to non-members (e.g. war is allowed), and not to other species (hunting is allowed), except to the extent that such actions would harm the group. There is no precedent for ethics with regard to machines. We protect machines only to the extent that harming them harms the owner. Nevertheless, I think your argument about pain being related to complexity relates to the more general principle of protecting that which resembles a human, even if that resemblance is superficial or based on emotion. I was reminded of this when I was playing Grand Theft Auto III. Besides carjacking, murder, and assorted mayhem, the game allows you to pick up prostitutes. Afterwards, the game gives you the option of getting your money back by beating her to death, but I declined. I felt empathy for a video game character.
http://www.goertzel.org/books/spirit/uni3.htm --> VIRTUAL ETHICS ----- This list is sponsored by AGIRI: http://www.agiri.org/email To unsubscribe or change your options, please go to: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=231415&user_secret=e9e40a7e
