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Post by BlueDolphin on Mar 20, 2006 23:06:41 GMT -5
Under what circumstances should one treat another entity as a human being? There is the obvious answer that you should do so if the entity is a human. However what about entities that are not biologically so? I would say as long as it can display human-like intelligence, then it should be treated as if it was a human regardless of its physical form or appearance. What do other people think?
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Post by Random on Mar 21, 2006 0:31:33 GMT -5
meh, personally all living things should be treated similarly, if not the same
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Post by BlueDolphin on Mar 21, 2006 0:34:42 GMT -5
you mean reasonably intelligent things? Things like bacteria and parasites are killed reguarly by civilization.
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Post by dietspam16 on Mar 21, 2006 1:08:13 GMT -5
Yah exactly, I'd draw the line at self awareness, cuz I'm a radical hippy. Trees are kinda a grey zone. I don't apologise for bumping into them, but I don't cut them down either...
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Post by Random on Mar 21, 2006 1:59:54 GMT -5
some things are going to have to die at some point or another so that other things can live
if its hunting for food (not excessively) thats fine, whether a human killed the animal or not, i wouldn't throw a fox in jail for eating a rabit, same as i wouldn't throw someone in jail for eating a cow, so long as its done in a responsible way and isn't excessive
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Post by Arachis on Mar 21, 2006 3:47:39 GMT -5
Exactly... theres a certain balance to be held. In my opinion all animals should not necessarily be treated like human beings, since as mentioned, we never kill human beings to eat, or preserve the balance etc. To treat an animal like a human being would be like giving both men and women dresses for christmas. You treat them differently. However, everyone should treat animals with respect. The intent then is what counts. If somebody deliberately kills an animal out of spite, its breaking that rule. If somebody accidently kills an ant, its closer to being a problem, but often unavoidable. If somebody kills an animal to save it from pain (putting a dog to sleep) then its good.
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Post by BlueDolphin on Mar 21, 2006 14:06:14 GMT -5
What about non-biological beings? Should a hypothetical sentient robot be treated as a human?
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Post by Blues on Mar 21, 2006 15:44:08 GMT -5
FUCK HUMAN RIGHT!! OIL FOREVER! DRILL DRILL DRILL!!!!
HUNT ANIMALS TO EXTINCTION!! CHOP DOWN WAY MORE TREES THAN NEEDED!!!
did I mention taxes should be lowered, and that eveyone should follow the christian faith?
oh, and hippies aren't people. obvi.
JEB BUSH FOR 2008!!!
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Post by Random on Mar 21, 2006 16:57:13 GMT -5
a sentient robot. . . . . i don't believe that is physically possible and in this situation i don't believe discussing the impossible makes sense
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Post by BlueDolphin on Mar 21, 2006 17:15:41 GMT -5
Why wouldn't it be possible?
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Post by dietspam16 on Mar 21, 2006 17:32:37 GMT -5
It is possible, but I believe the important part would not be sentience but emotions as far as rights go.
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Post by Arachis on Mar 21, 2006 18:44:09 GMT -5
agreed... The only problem with a sentient robot is... lets say it malfunctions. Are you allowed to kick it like you would a broken vending machine to maybe loosen up some parts and get it working again? or, since that would hurt it would that be discouraged.
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Post by Arachis on Mar 21, 2006 18:46:04 GMT -5
And I also dont want to believe that a robot with emotions is possible. Especially knowing that the emotions will actually just be programmed into the robot, therefore knowing that really the emotions arent actually there, they are just a simulation.
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Post by BlueDolphin on Mar 21, 2006 19:12:25 GMT -5
That brings up an interesting question though. Aren't our emotions also "simulations" built into us? I know I can feel pain and happiness, but it is impossible to know whether someone else does or whether they are just pretending. We assume that they do since there isn't any reason not to but not because we can actually "feel their pain"
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Post by Arachis on Mar 21, 2006 20:08:28 GMT -5
I disagree... People can "feel other peoples pains" because they superimpose their own experiences of pain onto the other person. In doing so, they can imagine the other persons sense of pain, and especially if they caused the person pain, can feel guilt (a kind of pain) or simply share in the emotional stress of the other person.
And I dont know if our emotions are simply "simulations" built into us. would you really consider emotions as simulations? what do they simulate? with a machine, you know that somebody programmed the emotions, and that they act the way they do only because they are told to. I dont think you can say the same for us.
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