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From: "Larry Elmore" <ljelmore@montana.campuscw.net>
Subject: Re: Ethics & Isaac Asimov
Date: 1999/01/20
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References: <36A56985.1B891566@interact.net.au>
 <36a57131.34731351@news.pacbell.net> <36A605FA.818C9328@pwfl.com>
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Date: 1999-01-20T00:00:00+00:00
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Marin David Condic wrote in message <36A605FA.818C9328@pwfl.com>...
>Talk about drifting off topic! ;-)
>
>Asimov's laws are, of course, based on the assumption that machines
>"think", have "identity" and can make moral decisions. This is, at best,
>wishful thinking. It's a machine. You can't bargain with it or reason
>with it. It doesn't feel pity or remorse... (place those lines if you
>can! ;-) You can lead a computer to data, but you can't make it think.
>
>And besides, who elected Asimov to be chief legislator of Robotic Law?
>And who's he going to get to enforce that Robotic Law if I decide to
>build robots willing to ignore the law and wage war against his pacifist
>robots? Game over, man! (Tongue firmly planted in cheek...)

But there's nothing in Asimov's Laws saying that robots are pacifistic! Only
that they can't harm people. They can certainly defend themselves against
non-human threats (see 3rd "Law") unless ordered not to do so. They can even
defend humans from other humans, if it's possible in a non-harmful manner.

>    "Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."
>
>        --  Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole
>Superieure
>            de Guerre.

IIRC, he was Colonel Foch when he made this statement. He only became a
Marshal of France well after the start of WWI, didn't he?

Larry