Let's say you have a robot with a mind of it's own... it can, think, speak and act for its self. It's almost human with the exception of an organ body... is it alive? Does it have a soul? If not what does constitute something as having a soul?
2006-09-06 20:28:47 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Bicentennical Man, which I'm sure I spelled wrong.
2006-09-06 20:33:56 · update #1
Based on the short story by, Isaac Asimov
2006-09-06 20:35:35 · update #2
Yes, the robot is completely aware of itself and its surroundings.
2006-09-06 20:39:17 · update #3
Someone said a soul is a human thing does that mean animals don't have souls?
2006-09-06 20:45:44 · update #4
Interesting question. Funny thing about intelligence... we have chess machines that can predict millions of possible moves... a thousand times more powerful than any human player. But the human champions still beat the computers. (There are world champions that have occassionally lost, but generally speaking, the human chessmaster is the winner).
So if a robot could ACT just like a human, would it still be just like a human on the inside?
I think, therefore I am. God help us if we ever make machine that can replicate that thought.
2006-09-06 20:38:15 · answer #1 · answered by marklin1972 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hello. An interesting question! I don't think a robot as you describe has a soul. Soul is a completely Human thing. The question reminds me of 3 things- 2 movies "A.I." by Stephen King, and "Centennial Man" with Robin Williams. The 3rd item is where I have my personal answer to this. A robot cannot be pre programmed to have a type of mind that thinks of things spiritual. A soul is Spiritual. It is for me, that very tiny 'voice' which I also 'feel' inside myself. the one which makes me worry about my actions toward others, and the one that reminds me who I really am, and who I need to be for myself. it is my self-guiding focal point compass needle which instinctively directs me in my life. I can't imagine anything mechanical being able to duplicate this. At best, it could only mimic it.
2006-09-07 03:40:48 · answer #2 · answered by matenmoe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing I can think of as being truly different from a human being.is that it doesn't know WHY something is right or wrong and it probably will not be able to experience emotions. It will be able to 'eat' and its body will use the material and there will be waste products. It will be able to reproduce itself, although not the same as 2 people creating a baby. It will be able to learn, to reason, to come to different conclusions. What will really separate us from ADVANCED robots???? Excellent question. Maybe 'soul' is just a flicker of energy entering us when we are born and leaving us when we die. Uh oh..... same thing for your humanoid friend.......Can't wait ti see some other answers. You know you're going to get the bible thumpers screaming religion at you.
2006-09-07 03:41:00 · answer #3 · answered by reme_1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Does this robot make decisions for itsself to better its self and environment?
Is this robot aware of its own mortality?
Is the robot your slave...oops I mean umm...domestic keeper?
If the robot displays evidence of self awareness and knowledge through education and the ability to learn as well as the desire for social interraction, it is worth a second look from the government for a bettter social description.
There is a difference between being alive and being a life. Science has all ready defined life, however I believe this "alive"ness would be a kin to the final decision as a whole from the Supreme Court from a unanimous world view.
As cool as it would be, heh, to claim we "made" life int he form of gears and frankenstein concepts....there will always be the Terminator fear factor....robots that we created to better our lives that end up destroying our way of life, and that is sadly a factor that will weight in heavily.
2006-09-07 03:37:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No the robot is still not alive. It would be doing what it was programmed to do by humun specifications. All humans would be a good example of what would have a soul.
2006-09-07 03:34:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Souls are supernatural entities. Therefore, they have to be imparted by a supernatural force.
Without the existance of the supernatural there is no such thing as a soul or spirit.
I believe in the supernatural by the way.
2006-09-07 03:30:47 · answer #6 · answered by Adyghe Ha'Yapheh-Phiyah 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no such thing as a soul. What your robot is really lacking is the ability to reproduce.
2006-09-07 03:33:22 · answer #7 · answered by mlamb56 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
AWESOME question. What DOES constitute "life"? Sentience? Sapience? Flesh? A pulse? Emotion? Reasoning? Intuition? Apperception? Smell, sight, taste, touch, hearing?
Excellent, excellent question. Keep asking because... really... there's no definitive answer yet. I don't know if there ever will be, but it doesn't hurt to keep striving for one.
2006-09-07 03:31:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's alive if it consumes energy and can reproduce. No soul though - those don't even exist in humans.
2006-09-07 03:45:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Robin Williams played such a character in a movie, but I can't think of the name of it.
2006-09-07 03:31:53 · answer #10 · answered by thrag 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋