[aiethics] What are humans made of?

[Brenda R. Freedman]

Alicebot AI Ethics Committee - http://www.alicebot.org


My own opinions on AI Ethics come from my own opinions of human =
evolution=20
and how it can be applied to the evolution of intelligent agents. Do =
bots=20
parallel human evolution (if one subscribes to this theory) and if life=20
itself was created from some form of self replication combination, could =

the evolution of bots follow this same  process.  As AI's evolve will =
they=20
have the ability to improve themselves to become more efficient. In =
another=20
scenario will mutations occur through some type of machine glitch, but=20
nevertheless create some type of agent determined to survive and conquer =

their weaker counterparts. If this type of scenario could occur can we =
call=20
it "survival of the fittest"?

The process of human evolution started approximately 4 billion years ago =

almost half the life of our own sun which sustains life on this planet. =
I=20
believe AI is the next step in the process, albeit a new frontier posing =

new discoveries and questions, but one that is inevitable with the rapid =

rate of technology. We think of ethics in human terms, but can we assign =

our own ethics to agents we do not fully understand or can begin to =
predict=20
behavior. Scientists believe although a monumental task, that =
theoretically=20
there will be no reason computationally not to simulate life. At that =
point=20
will we come to the blurry distinction of artificial and natural life.

There are so many facets to machine intelligence, some of which we may =
have=20
no control but it does not mean we have to fear the outcome of bots=20
performing malicious acts of criminal intent. These discussions have=20
prompted me to think almost on another level of consciousness but has=20
become a fascinating and interesting journey. Up until this time life =
has=20
been viewed as "human or animal" but as AI advances we may unlock some =
of=20
the mysteries of our own beginnings.

Brenda






At 01:01 AM 6/17/01 -0400, you wrote:

>One thing I wonder about this group that would speak a lot, at least to =
me,
>about where you're coming from in your opinions on AI Ethics.
>
>I'd like to hear some opinions in this informal poll:
>
>A) A human is no more than a collection of matter and energy occupying =
a
>certain space and that humanness itself is theoretically understandable =
by
>humans.
>
>B) There's something else to a human that we can't ever explain or =
measure.
>
>...
>
>...
>
>I'm unquestionably with A. To me, one of the most tiresome =
philosophical
>conversations one can possibly have begins with the phrase "The =
difference
>between humans and animals is..."
>
>- Cf
>
>