Noel Sharkey's The Ethical Frontiers Of Robotics

With Robots becoming a popular part of our everyday lives people are beginning to question if people are treating robots with the same respect that they treat people with. Researchers are also beginning to wonder if there need to be laws to protect robots from being tortured or even killed. Scientists have done research to test and see if people react the same to robots as they would to actual people or animals. In Is it Okay to Torture or Murder a Robot Richard Fisher contemplates the reason on why it is wrong to hurt or kill a robot by using a stern and unbiased tone.

In his 2011 The Chronicle Review article “Programmed for Love” Jeffrey R. Young interviews Professor Sherry Turkle about her experience with what she calls “sociable robots”. Turkle has spent 15 years studying robotics and its social emergence into society. After extensive research and experimenting with the robots, she believes that soon they will be programmed to perform specific tasks that a human would normally do. While this may seem like a positive step forward to some people, Turkle fears the worst. The article states that she finds this concept “demeaning, ‘transgressive,’ and damaging to our collective sense of humanity.” (Young, par. 5). She accredits this to her personal and professional experience with the robots. Turkle and her

The article, “Robots on Earth” by Jerry West, explains that although robots may be evil in movies and books, they help us more than people may think. In the article, West discusses how the opinions of the media are quite different than the jobs that real robots perform. Humans have many difficult jobs that must be done for the good of the population, which is why we have robots to complete these tasks. Chores such as welding, and working in factories harm our health; so, robots do these jobs to keep us safe. Robots in space may do simple missions so that astronauts can focus on more important duties. Also, astronauts use robotic equipment; such as treadmills; to stay healthy while in space. Other robots are used for people with disabilities

“Just as the sun will rise tomorrow morning, so too will robots in our society.” Frank Mullin accurately explains the growing role of robot pets worldwide. Robot pets, are the adorable synthetic toys, that warm the hearts of thousands with their almost life-like movements. Once just a thought and a dream, robot pets now grace the shelves of department stores. Along with their wide popularity comes a question; “Should robotic pets replace real pets?” Well, they interact differently, and are frankly just programmed to do what one sees. Allowing robotic pets is depriving people of the interactions they experience with real pets, and does not nourish responsibility. For now, robotic pets should be left on the shelves because they will never provide

At work, people are claiming to be too busy on their devices to be able to have conversations. In fact, they do not want to have the face to face interaction, but would “rather just do things on [their] blackberry” (136). Moreover, a “sixteen-year-old boy who relies on texting for almost everything says wistfully, ‘Someday, someday, but certainly not now, I’d like to learn how to have a conversation’” (136). The reliance on technology has increased significantly and the necessity for conversation has pivoted. A teenage boy confesses that he feels more comfortable talking to an “artificial intelligence program” (138) about dating instead of his own father. Similarly, many people want “Siri, the digital assistant on Apple’s iPhone, [to become] more advanced, [because] ‘she’ will be more and more like a best friend” (138). Robots are being given more credit for comforting humans than humans themselves. Not only are the younger generations thinking this, but also the elders. When Turkle brought a baby seal robot to a nursing home, an elder woman began to speak to it and feel comforted by it. It is a tragedy that humans are feeling a deeper connection with robots than other humans. Humans have the experiences and the feelings that the robots are not capable of having. Hence, there is confusion about the difference between conversation and

Throughout “Love and Sex with Robots,” author David Levy explores the topic of human intimacy, and how it has developed throughout history. While his book begins with discussing human-to-human relationships and intimacy, he explores modern technological intervention like dating websites and electronic sex toys. However, like the title suggests, Levy uses the the majority of his book to convince the reader that the use of sex robots are an inevitable evolution of robotic intimacy, and will be especially useful for minority sectors of the population like misfits and the sexually inadequate (291).

The image of a child being a robot is incredibly saddening to most of society. Children are now being

These robots are known as the ICub, and excel at interacting with the human population safely. One of these robots, known as Molly, exists in Bristol, England (Honigsbaum). This small combination of metals, wires, and computer components actually helps the elderly with simple tasks that they would ordinarily need help with. In addition to helping the elderly, the ICub can also help clean the work space of individuals. Simon, an upper-body humanoid, assists in moving a variety of items and cleaning workspaces. This robot was developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and statistics state that, “Simon could tell with close to 80% accuracy whether someone was paying attention or ignoring him.” This proves that it is indeed possible to create helpful machines that can also interact with humans through the regulation and extra development of artificial intelligences. All of the activities that the ICub Robots partake in are completely beneficial to the global society and will have a large impact on the culture of the world as a whole. An added plus to the push for technological development is that countries can use these advancements as a way to better the future of their state. These nations can accomplish this through the integration of robotic aids into their school systems. An instance in which this concept is used occurs in the Connecticut school system. Through Project D.I.S.C.O.V.E.R middle school students

While that dystopian future may seem rather extreme, a more modest proposal would follow that robots may not be eating babies, but they uncertainly threaten the value of our time within a workplace. Machines, to many companies, are a

Robotics can be virtual and/or mechanical objects that we use in everyday activities. Even though robots have been around since 1960’s. In the healthcare field we have become more dependent upon them since the 1980 's. Robots have been used to assist people in varies everyday task in laboratories and operating rooms. Some examples their usage are intervention with giving medication, assisting kids with autism, transferring and lifting patients. Although robots have made some of the healthcare fields task easier there can be questions with such technology which can impact ethical policy and non-human touch.

In “Alone Together: The Robotic Movement,” Sherry Turkle explains some of the negative effects that robots are having on our lives. She also explains how they can have a negative effect on our daily lives without us even noticing. I am someone who knows a great deal about technology, however I had no idea that close human-robot interaction was happening at such an inappropriate level. There are many different examples Turkle uses in the article, however, I will only talk about two. I agree with Turkle not only that there are ethical problems with human-robot interaction but also that a lot of other forms of technology might be doing more harm than good.

Once this is determined and the robots get the drift of it, the scientist are saying that we will be able to have “nanny” robots. Who in their right mind would leave their child with a computer-controlled machine? I personally would never feel comfortable leaving my child with a robot. Yeah, the robot might be able to get the necessities like getting them food and drinks, but they won’t be able to give the child that “mother” feeling. Try and picture back to when you were a small child. Weren’t you always attached to your parents? Especially your mom? She just had that warm-motherly feeling that you happened to love. Imagine trying to get that same feeling from a robot. It just wouldn’t be the same. Like when you fell down and got hurt, what was the first thing you wanted? Most likely your mom, right? She just automatically made you feel better. There is no way for a child to get that same warm-motherly feeling from a cold, metal, machine. Not only am I worried about the child not feeling comfortable with the robot, but it could also be harmful for the child. What if the robot was changing a diaper or getting the child dressed and the robot has a glitch, it could easily shock and injure the child. There is just no reason for leaving a child under only the supervision of a computer-controlled machine. It just sounds extremely risky to me.

Lately there have been more and more smart machines that have been taking over regular human tasks but as it grows the bigger picture is that robots will take over a lot of tasks now done by people. But, many people think that there are important ethical and moral issues that have to be dealt with this. Sooner or later there is going to be a robot that will interact in a humane manner but there are many questions to be asked like; how will they interact with us? Do we really want machines that are independent, self-directed, and has affect and emotion? I think we do, because they can provide many benefits. Obviously, as with all technologies, there are dangers as well. We need to ensure that people always

Another issue brought forward from the movie is whether they should be given the same rights as humans. The movie shows us that the robots have three laws that they live by, the first one being they must protect human from any harm. This first law has a few issues in being that sometimes humans do not need to be protected, for example people who have committed a crime, need to be punished, not protected. The second law tells the robot they are to obey every order given unless it violates the first law. Even if the order is unethical the robot must still obey it. The third law states the robot must protect the robot its self unless it would violate the first two laws. If they were given the same rights as humans would set them free from their laws. Robots cannot function as human because they lack the ability to have compassion or emotion. Robots do not have the ability to make ethical decisions.

But with these great advantages there are always some disadvantages to weigh in to the equation. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch and robots are no exception to this rule. There are of course a few negative aspects to robot usage. Here are some of the questions that arise: are there such kinds of robots that should not be created? Will robots put capable workers out of jobs, if so is this a justifiable action? And of course the ignorant issue of, what if some day robots become like people, in terms of thinking and acting for them selves, how would we be able to distinguish robot from human?