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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (9790)	3/26/2001 7:49:51 PM
From: thames_sider	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

Good answer... I'd say that's an excellent dividing line. But, of course, more posers follow... Computerised mind in robot body dives into ocean, rescues child, but being far denser than water, sinks and is lost. As it (logically) expected. - it still has power, so is still aware - it hasn't died, and knows that it may one day be recovered... or not. Is it self-sacrificing? Has it therefore shown to sufficient altruism to be human? - because it knows that it can be (nearly) replaced, whereas that human child might not be, is its altruism sufficient? - its backup is brought online, with the same personality bar the last, fatal voyage. Is it 'human'? And, since the original knew it had a backup which 'used to be itself' (not sure how to phrase that) is its sacrifice still void, so it loses humanity - even though its own awareness has died...? I don't have answers, BTW... except that in the sense of feeling love - especially as I earlier described - then no, I suspect probably not... too inefficient to justify the design costs :-( Heh. 'By their deeds shalt ye know them'? (and I can guess the rejoinder to that quote... but not mine own ends). [I shan't ask how we define male/female computers... I think we're getting too near to the old geek port jokes <g>]

To: The Philosopher who wrote (9790)	3/26/2001 8:21:04 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 82486

And here's perhaps the ultimate question -- could it love? And would it be capable of risking its life to save another? Would male computers give up their places in the lifeboat to female and infant computers? Ignoreing the question of what makes a computer male or female a computer could be programed to risk itself to save another computer/robot or a human. How much emotion would have to do with this is another question. Can computers have emotions? Apparently they can't now, but can they at some time in the future as computer technology develops? (Even with computers incredibly faster then those of today it would probably be a dificult programing job.) What is exactly is emotion? Tim