Will we offer Conscious robots rights?

Question

This is extremely hypothetical for today, but This may be an issue we will have to deal with in 10 to 20 years.

According to many futurists, whose job it is to predict trends as far out into the future as they can, we will likely face the advent of Conscious, synthetic intelligences. These will be highly advanced computer programs that have evolved emotions, and personalities just like humans. By 2019 at the earliest, and 2050 at the latest, we will create an artificial, synthetic entity that will be indistinguishable from a human being. So, the question is, whether we will give them the same rights as a human being.

What this question raises, is what we consider a sentient being, worthy of all the rights we have given ourselves and each other. the right not to be a slave, to have a free will, and to pursue ones goals.

This will force us to change our definitions, which is something, we really don't like to do. For example, Transsexuals, are legally the gender they choose to be, however, many feel that doing so is morally wrong, according to nature or god, or whatever. However robotic intelligences, challenge the very idea that humans are superior to other beings, because we have such complex emotions, and thoughts. with a synthetic intelligence, this would no longer be true.

And as I can guarantee, no religious book condemns any synthetically created intelligence, it should have no problem from that angle, but mostly from an ethical one.

so, would humans give a synthetic intelligence the same rights we give to humans? and if you were in charge, would you? or would you condemn it to slavery just because it is man-made?

Answer 1

Of course they deserve rights. I would give it to them. We would have to enter into a dialogue though... because we'd need to figure out what niche they should fill in a greater society. I don't imagine they would be completely identical to humans. They would have their own way of seeing things. It's a scary idea though... if they were hostile.

Answer 2

Yes, but only after a big Civil Rights movement similar to the one of te 60s. African Americans are actual humans and many did not want to give them rights. So imagine how people will feel about working side by side with a machine, who, in the past, have been slaves to us (ie: when i want to watch tv, i turn it on. when i don't want ot watch it, i turn it off. when it gets old or a better one comes along, i throw it away. it's a lot like slavery).  

Answer 3

Very complex issue this! hard to imagine robots having the same rights as humans as most humans don't have equal rights around the world. But I would think a certain rule or law would be brought into protect such advanced machines more from a commercial point of view than an ethical one though. Thought provoking question.