Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Robotic age poses ethical dilemma

An ethical code to prevent humans abusing robots, and vice versa, is being drawn up by South Korea. The Robot Ethics Charter will cover standards for users and manufacturers and will be released later in 2007. It is being put together by a five member team of experts that includes futurists and a science fiction writer. The new charter is an attempt to set ground rules for this future. Imagine if some people treat androids as if the machines were their wives, or others may get addicted to interacting with them just as many internet users get hooked to the cyberworld.

The new guidelines could reflect the three laws of robotics put forward by author Isaac Asimov in his short story Runaround in 1942, she said. Key considerations would include ensuring human control over robots, protecting data acquired by robots and preventing illegal use.

ASIMOV'S LAWS OF ROBOTICS
1 A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2 A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shades of Asimov's Bicentennial Man'

Beam Me Up said...

yeah, the oddest thing is that they apply BOTH ways! never considered that!