[alicebot-aiethics] Can a robot be baptized?

[Kim Sullivan]

> Does a bot have a soul?  if not then there is nothing which needs saved,
or
> cleansed.  Yet as the creator of the bot, you are responsible for it's
> actions.

I'm not sure but baptising is a symbol for cleansing. So, technically
'baptising' would mean going through all the AIML that comprises a bot, and
remove 'unpure' thoughts, responses that obviously are agains the belief.
But then again, even real baptism is just a symbol, a rite and not a
brainwash so babtizing a bot would be a similar ritual.

As for the question of a bot having a soul, I'm not sure I'm ready or
qualified to respond about this but i'll try anyway.
LilB, from your messages I got the notion that you're a religious person. If
I asked you, wether you have a soul, you probably would reply yes. On the
other hand, if you asked me if I have a soul I would reply no, or 'not
sure'.

The only thing we can do is ask the bot if it has a soul.

But I don't think that the bot's reply will have great significance. This is
like with people - some believe that they have a soul, and they say that
everyone has a soul wether or not he believes so. Some people don't think
they have a soul, and dismiss the thought of it in other people too
('religious/philosophical gibberish).

I personally think that the soul is everyone's private thing. It doesn't
matter if someone tells you that you have a soul, or they have a soul, or
they havent or they tell you you havent. It is important that YOU (general
you) know about your soul.

And we should keep it this way with bots too - only they know for sure.

Kim