Is a cloned animal or human a robot? Why or why not?

Question

The reason I ask is because when looking at the wikipedia definition it says:
A robot is a mechanical or virtual, artificial agent. A robot is usually an electromechanical system, which, by its appearance or movements, conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own....

While there is still discussion[2][3][4] about which machines qualify as robots, a typical robot will have several, though not necessarily all of the following properties:

* Is not 'natural' / has been artificially created.
* Can sense its environment.
* Can manipulate things in its environment.
* Has some degree of intelligence, or ability to make choices based on the environment, or automatic control / preprogrammed sequence.
* Is programmable.
* Can move with one or more axes of rotation or translation.
* Can make dexterous coordinated movements.
* Appears to have intent or agency (reification, anthropomorphisation or Pathetic fallacy[5]).

A clone has a some of these feature

Answer 1

Probably the easiest way to think of a clone is by comparing it to a twin.

Twins have identical DNA, and so do clones. Twins usually look much more alike than most people, but with familiarity they can typically be differentiated... they're not often EXACTLY alike, even in appearance. And twins, though they may have some similar tendancies, may have very different behaviour.

And so it goes with clones.

I understand what you're saying about clones being like robots. And it's not an uncommon view. Some of the first fictional portrayals of clones (decades ago - long before it was even a concievable possibility) depicted them as being more like soulless, emotionless machines.

But there is no reason why this must be so, really. Once you have a cloned egg there is really no way to tell it from a 'natural' egg. And given the amount of interference we sometimes do with even 'natural' eggs (such as fertility treatments, artificial insemination, sperm filtering, etc, etc) it could be argued that they're pretty artificial too.

A robot, of course, isn't even PARTLY natural. It is completely artificial in every way. Compared to that, a clone is pretty much indistinguishable from everyone else.

Answer 2

robot is a term that refers to pieces of a building material and circuitry all hurled into the same pile so that it does something useful (or destructive if the case ever goes to war) cloned animals/humans are not robots. they are living things like you and me, and have the full ability to think. people may say that these beings do not have a "soul" but who even says that you have a soul? (not to be offensive im just making a comparison)

thinking is caused by neural connections causing different part of your brain to react in different ways. as long as a being ha all of these components, and shows proof that they are working, there should be no reason to believe that they dont feel pain, hurt, joy, sorrow, or anger (unless they were genetically engineered to be like the Vulcans ha ha)

cloning shouldnt be viewed as a bad thing. it should be seen as an advancement to science. nothing less.

Answer 3

Of course not. A clone is just something that has the exact genetic makeup as it's parent cell/organism. There is nothing spectacular or different about it other than that.