Comments on: Robocop Redux http://www.blindside.org.uk/2007/06/21/robocop-redux/ What's going to go wrong in our e-enabled world? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:03:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: William Heath http://www.blindside.org.uk/2007/06/21/robocop-redux/#comment-389 William Heath Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:08:31 +0000 http://www.blindside.org.uk/2007/06/21/robocop-redux/#comment-389 This is such a challenging field. If we keep it simple and assume that about robots carry out a human intentions (reducing the cost, risk, and effort of humans doing it themselves) then there are two questions. 1. Does the robot carry out that intention faithfully? That's one to ask the designers and engineers. and 2. Is it a good intention? That's fiendishly hard. It would be ideal to ask a panel of wise and moral people (cf the Vatican's recent 10 commandments for driving). Should there be a licence to command robots like a driving licence? The rich and powerful will tell robots what to do, and the rest of us will have to live with it. That's the easy part. What happens I wonder when robots appear to act in a way that is not directly connected with an original human intention? I dont mean free will, but unintended consequences associated with a system of any complexity. Will the Russians care exactly how their robots execute their plans in Chechnia, or the Chinese in Tobet, or the Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan as long as they get the job done? Would robots be better or worse than humans at rendition and special administrative measures? This is such a challenging field.

If we keep it simple and assume that about robots carry out a human intentions (reducing the cost, risk, and effort of humans doing it themselves) then there are two questions.

1. Does the robot carry out that intention faithfully? That’s one to ask the designers and engineers. and
2. Is it a good intention? That’s fiendishly hard. It would be ideal to ask a panel of wise and moral people (cf the Vatican’s recent 10 commandments for driving). Should there be a licence to command robots like a driving licence? The rich and powerful will tell robots what to do, and the rest of us will have to live with it.

That’s the easy part. What happens I wonder when robots appear to act in a way that is not directly connected with an original human intention? I dont mean free will, but unintended consequences associated with a system of any complexity. Will the Russians care exactly how their robots execute their plans in Chechnia, or the Chinese in Tobet, or the Americans in Iraq or Afghanistan as long as they get the job done? Would robots be better or worse than humans at rendition and special administrative measures?

]]>