Could robots ever be truly capable of making ethical decisions?

[Ladymuck]

Until 10 minutes ago, I would have opined: probably not. However, having read this article, I am no longer certain. So, given that human beings themselves possess differing views on what to base ethical principles and on how those principles should be applied, could robots be programmed to make moral decisions?

Incidentally, it is the antics of a (now banned) forumite that have given rise to this cogitation!

[waynetta]

What robot has been banned from the forum?

[waynetta]

THE lid from a sardine tin, with the key removed, makes an ideal quiff for a small robot.

[Ladymuck]

waynetta Wrote:

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> What robot has been banned from the forum?

*huge weary sigh*

No robot has been banned...

I should, ideally, delete that last line (it's merely an aside), but then your post would look most peculiar waynetta...

*further sigh*

[waynetta]

My posts always look peculiar

[*Bob*]

Could robots ever be truly capable of making ethical decisions?

I hope not. This would put paid to my dream of - one day - getting a blow job off Twikki.

[????]

Still using the Vax with that smily face then *Bob*?

[*Bob*]

Twiki.. cor! I mean.. feast your eyes!

Dr Theopolis will have to go though - three's a crowd.

[karter]

Whether we like it or not, robots will be pulling the shots in the not too distant future.

[KalamityKel]

"pulling"? really? oh dear we're DOOMED!!!

Na it wont be in that near a future - not our generation at least anywho so dont stress :))

[karter]

pulling the shots calling the shots same thing. Who stressing? You pulling me stressed?

[KalamityKel]

Moving on...

*sighs*

[waynetta]

DYSLEXICS Try deliberately spelling words wrongly. This way at least you have a chance spelling them correctly.

[Ridgley]

Would like a robot, to do my house chores:)

[Jeremy]

It's incredible, it's just like a real person

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11732995

[Ridgley]

It all depends, if they have been programmed to have free will?

[Alec John Moore]

A very lifelike - in a Madame Tussauds kind of way - mannequin controlled by someone in the wings so not exactly capable of independent thought or action.

Edited to muse: "Of course, on the internet the absence of tone of voice and body language mean that the subtleties that suggest a gently ironic response may not be conveyed effectively or at all in some cases."

*Thinks* "Some posters use descriptive asides, internet acronyms and smileys to indicate tone of voice and contextualising actions but I tend to find that a bit awkward."

Edited to add: Was thinking but didn't say that, in relation to the OP, I was thinking that as the lifelike robot in the play, it is merely an extension of the human. In this case it's in actions but re the questions of robots being capable of ethical decisions, well they are too complex to be programmed in a simple logcial way and even then they would be extensions or expressions of human ethical decision making processes but just more limited.

Edited to say: *Thinks* "If this was a work email I'd be signing off: 'Hope that helps.'"

[Ladymuck]

Pretty too!

But it's one thing being able to act, sing, dance, chat and what have you. Possessing emotions, knowing right from wrong, being able to reason (as we do) etc. is quite another. Could a machine therefore ever be equipped with the technology to make ethical decisions in the way that we do?

[Jeremy]

Note to self - sarcasm doesn't work on the internet.

[Ladymuck]

Oh!:-$

[Jeremy]

Ladymuck Wrote:

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> Could a machine therefore ever be equipped with the technology to make ethical decisions in the way that we do?

That depends... can we formalise ethics as a set of logical rules? I think we probably can.

But why would we want to do that?

[nashoi]

So that when Skynet goes live they cut us some slack Jeremy

[Jeremy]

Skynet is already live!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_(satellites)

Fortunately it has not yet become self-aware.