h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What would Marvin say?


"Robots might one day be smart enough to demand emancipation from their human owners....
robots could sue for their rights if these were denied to them"

"states will be obligated to provide full social benefits to them including income support, housing and possibly robo health care to fix the machines over time."
-- http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2006/12/21/tech-freedom.html

... but, what about virtual beings?

"... instead of using a live subject to be on the receiving end of the shocks, the researchers had participants administer shocks to a human-looking avatar in virtual reality" -- http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2006/12/21/virtual-experiments.html

"... the participants were invited to administer a series of word association memory tests to the (female) virtual human representing the stranger. When she gave an incorrect answer, the participants were instructed to administer an ‘electric shock’ to her, increasing the voltage each time. She responded with increasing discomfort and protests, eventually demanding termination of the experiment."

-- http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000039

Marvin may say..Happy Xmas and a Happy New Year..in his own way of course....

I'm reminded of "Westworld"

And not a really Happy Xmas after all for me, thanks to my big sister. That is why I no longer trust anyone..sorry all, and Seasons Greetings...

Sorry to hear that, Stevo. Try to have fun anyway!

I'm reminded of Asimov's Laws of Robotics, which Wil Smith managed to mangle to bits in I Robots.

erm....I mean *I Robot*