Think into the future. What possible + and -'s do you see to the idea. They are already talking about having them be autonomous. Should we let independent machines have the ability to take human life? Or should that be the responsibility of another human? It should be a very serious thing right? It seems that robotic soldiers would cheapen the value of human life.
2007-08-16 08:27:19 · 9 answers · asked by The GMC 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Autobot Towhaul, that is sort of what I was thinking. It won't only be one country with that technology. There will have to come a time when two robots from opposing nations encounter each other. Surely some other country will seek to create robotic soldiers as well. Then if they fight, it will be a snowball effect where each country seeks to create better and better robots. Then if the robot army is defeated, the country will surrender, less they face human casualties. Right now though we only think about us having the technology, and how it reduces our casualties.
That's alright though, we aren't going to be on this earth too much longer.
2007-08-16 11:12:28 · update #1
David C, I know what you are saying and you are right, but at the same time, I feel like even though we can be far away, there is always a human "pulling the trigger" if you will, that will feel some sort of responsibility for that action. However, if you let an autonomous robot go out and fight a war, he is only following a program and lacks the same consciousness as a human being. It would have no concept about ending a human life. Of course humans seek the upper hand by killing the enemy without the enemy knowing they are there, but to have a robot decide who to kill is a little bit more scary.
2007-08-16 11:19:53 · update #2
Hey Conranger.... I got the idea from an Associated Press article that was talking about them having the different components needed for an autonomous robot, they just haven't put them together yet. Of course it sounds sci-fi. But the article did cause me to think.
2007-08-17 07:03:02 · update #3
"cheapen the value of human life" you said, but ever since Og picked up a stick and clobbered his neighbor we have found better and better ways to kill and do it without seeing the person you killed.
Robots are not really any different then the smart bombs we have that kill from thousands of miles.
Death is death, killing is killing, whether you do it with your bare hand or with some device you set in motion to kill days later on its own. The question the moral question of killing others for your protection, safety, political issues, etc.
2007-08-16 08:42:33 · answer #1 · answered by David C 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
It will reduce casualties, and lower expenses for logistics (robots don't eat or sleep). AI is not sophisticated enough to create terminators yet, they would be human manned for some time to come, and actual human soldiers will still always be necessary.
If these robots were deployed, it might actually reduce casualties, because they could be designed to withstand bullets and possibly bombs, so in urban areas you might actually have less shooting incidents. They could use non-lethal weapons to pacify insurgencies without resorting to innacurate and indescriminate aerial bombing attacks, or hasty infantry infiltration missions.
2007-08-16 15:51:02 · answer #2 · answered by Pfo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Terminator 4
2007-08-16 15:35:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Its a great idea until they get used against you, fighting a robot would probably be very intimidating, I personally would rather fight a human over a robot anyday
2007-08-16 15:37:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Be afraid....
Be very afraid of what you are thinking.
Someone, let's say a President who thinks the peoples rights are suspendable in the name of a war on terror, wants to illegally deploy the robots to clean up a US city; what's to stop him?
Don't say cooler heads would prevail... look at the second Iraq war of "the surge" and tell me someone in the military would stop him.... baloney!
What that would unleash on mankind would be simply unhumane!
g-day!
2007-08-16 21:57:44 · answer #5 · answered by Kekionga 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Back to your computer games kid, we are light years from developing self thinking robots. Computers are still in a very basic form, they are not self intelligent.
2007-08-17 12:13:28 · answer #6 · answered by conranger1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think each country should build HUGE robots and have robot wars. Humans don't need to die for their political masters.
2007-08-16 17:06:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It certainly lowers risk and increases effectiveness. Who would you rather send out to deal with a bomb, a man or a robot?
2007-08-16 16:11:39 · answer #8 · answered by Gotta have more explosions! 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I hope they are very efficient at their killing job.
2007-08-16 15:35:59 · answer #9 · answered by Jan Luv 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋