The Conscience Of The Machine

[Philosophy Now]

by Wendell Wallach

http://philosophynow.org/issues/72/The_ ... he_Machine

[Bill Wiltrack]

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...................................We are machines:







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[spike]

The philosophical discussion about moral machines and their possibility is an aspect of nonsense philosophy or fictional philosophy. Moral machines, per se, are impossible. Any morality that is built into a machine is done by humans, because humans want it. Morality is the domain of humans not machines.

Even though this subject is an example of nonsense philosophy it nonetheless brings up interesting mainstream philosophical questions about being human and the meaning of things around us, in the same way science fiction does. It serves a purpose. (It is a ruse, so to speak.) So that is why this subject and other nonsense philosophy out there shouldn't be totally dismissed because its an improbability, since this kind of philosophizing also gets us thinking (stimulates) and our cognitive juices flowing. Nonsense philosophy is like asking "what if", where there is no end or likelihood.

If machines were moral entities they might stop taking jobs away from humans, realizing that they are taking away human jobs at an alarming rate. (They are destroying lives and people's self-esteem.) The proliferation of robotics is one reason why we see an economic recovery without an employment recovery.

I wonder if someday they will tax robots like humans in order to support those unemployed by their actions. That, I would think, should be a moral imperative.

[Bill Wiltrack]

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Interesting post.


We ourselves are destroying lives and people's self-esteem.


Organized Labor creates an economic and emotional shelf that signature parties refuse to travel below.


...but no one wants to hear.




Lemmings.






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[spike]

For many reasons I support organized labour. They are a counterbalance to management and can improve things for workers, like in Bangladesh. But organized labor has also been the problem. Sometimes it became too much of a good thing. At one point it became too organized, too demanding and complacent, which contributed to the hallowing out the manufacturing sector in developed economies.

I just read that Carnegie Hall stagehands, in NYC, have gone on strike because management did not accept their demands. Some stagehands can make up to $400,000 a year. That is ridiculous.

[Mark Question]

My robotic vacuum cleaner has Conscience. Hard working is built into him. Human vacuum cleaners needs years of training to achieve his working moral. Making and training humans is still much more funnier than robots so that is why funny humans have new humans. They are so funny.

[tbieter]

by Wendell Wallach

http://philosophynow.org/issues/72/The_ ... he_Machine

"Computers touch nearly every facet of modern life, from desktop systems that facilitate entertainment, communication and research, to financial systems that initiate millions of transactions on world markets daily. The robots are also coming. They are already evident (although perhaps not recognized), as household appliances, manufacturing systems, museum guides, hospital delivery systems, toys, and even as lethal weapons deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soon we will have service robots caring for the elderly and homebound. Engineers have always been concerned about the safety of the systems they build."

As an old fart in declining health, this subject in "nonsense philosophy" has been of interest to me.

Accordingly, when I heard about the movie, "Robot and Frank," I rented it at the earliest opportunity. Its a very enjoyable film and thought provoking. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/robot_and_frank/

I agree with Spike. However, as always, we can learn from nonsense philosophy and the philosophical errors of the past.

[Mark Question]

humans are biological constructions. new constructions arise with them and evolution gets faster. human constructions evolve and get new names. humans disappears like old gramophones or mammoths. old farts.