Essay Star Trek: the Next Generation “the Measure of a Man”

When someone brings up the term “artificial intelligence”, a variety of connotations tend to arise, connotations that often are unfair or unrepresentative of the true real-world applications of such a term. Due to the incidentally fear-mongering nature of the media, artificial intelligence can refer to something as basic as a robotic arm in a factory, as well as the implied extinction and/or enslavement of the human race as caused by robo-revolution. As of today, however, when applied in the world of modern technology, artificial intelligence is defined as any innovation that performs a task usually completed by humans. Of course, with this definition, artificial intelligence holds the potential for both societal harm and benefit, and its fate

The Synopsis: Star Trek Episode “The Measure of a Man” deals with the thought that android could have physical and mental properties. In order to fully understand or evaluate this we have to have a clear understanding of the Mind/Body Problems and solutions. Humans are material objects consisting of physical and mental properties. Physical properties examples are height, weight, color, shape or size and mental properties are awareness, consciousness, feeling, thinking, emotions and senses. The problem arises because these properties interact where intentional or unintentional continuously. Hasker discusses several mind/body solutions such as idealism, materialism, behaviorism, dualism, and

Many things today are already controlled by some sort of power source which can be hacked like pacemakers or a power grid, but as AI advances it could control things like your car or an airplane, which no matter what could potentially be hacked and would be used as weapons of mass destruction if they were to be. When AI advances it has no emotion, so if we make one to do something that can cause devastating damage to an area, it would have no second thoughts about doing it, and unless stopped by an outside force, it would continue with its mission, programmers could also start an AI on a beneficial task, but eventually find a way to make it destructive for its on personal goal. These AIs that humanity could create could become super intelligent and potentially dangerous thing for humanity because they could unalign themselves from our goals and make their own which could include destroying the human race because we would be inferior to it.

The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Measure of a Man” makes a compelling argument on androids and the mind/body problem. The episode is about Lt. Commander Data who is an android who acts identically to human behavior. Data is put on trial to find out if he should have human rights or if he is considered property of Starfleet. The episode makes interesting points as to what qualifies a person of having a mind and soul.

A dualism aspect is presented when Captain Picard mentions that he thinks that Data has the option to say no to being disassembled. According to Hasker (1983), “Dualism begins by taking quite seriously that human beings have both physical properties and mental properties (Husker, 1983). He continues by observing that this is opposed to other assumptions like that of idealism and behaviorism which weaken the two together into one. (Hasker, 1983). Dualism is made clear more when Hasker states that, “physical properties are properties of the body, while mental properties are properties of the mind,” (Hasker, 1983). Picard applies dualism to illustrate that Data is

After I've read both the Star Trek synopsis and chapter 3 of Hasker's textbook "Metaphysics: Constructing a Worldview" it's clear that what is seen of the mind and body issue that was displayed by Picard within the synopsis of Star Trek: The Next Generation was Dualism view. The truth about Maddox is he can be a part of the scientific research the division of Starfleet with orders to dismantle data on the starship enterprise. In the episode, the conflict between Picard and Maddox stems from two different views of what makes a machine a machine and what makes a human a human. The Robot is Picard friend, data is the individual and ought to be able to form choices as a real individual ought to. In my conclusion, I believe that Picard was depicting

Given that this discussion of the mind and body problem is based on a fictitious character in a well-known television program, Star Trek, the question if Data, the Lt. Commander on the Enterprise, deserves the right to choose his destiny begins with whether his human characteristics are considered accidental or essential. Being that he is designed to form relationships, make choices, and recognize his demise, he has some of the basic constituents of human properties even though he is considered a machine. Additionally, Data’s advocate claims that Data’s ability to perceive, be conscious of his surroundings, and acquire and obtain knowledge is enough to include him in the humanity’s category. As it relates to the mind and body problem, theorists

For those who do not know, artificial intelligence is exactly what is called, an "intelligence" through a computer that is artificially created by humans. A.I. is defined to be able to learn and use the information it learns to produce "thoughts" of its own, almost as if it were a thinking human. Though many may believe A.I. is just a robot which is able to speak and understand humans, it is much more than that. A.I. technologies are being implemented in smartphones, homes, cars, watches, headphones, and is also being developed to work in many more ways that help give humanity an easier life.

Artificial intelligence has become a big controversy between scientists within the past few years. Will artificial intelligence improve our communities in ways we humans can’t, or will they just cause danger to us? I believe that artificial intelligence will only bring harm to our communities. There are multiple reasons why artificial intelligence will bring danger to humanity, some of them being: you can’t trust them, they will lead to more unemployment, and they will cause more obesity.

The mind-body problem is an age-old topic in philosophy that questions the relationship between the mental aspect of life, such as the field of beliefs, pains, and emotions, and the physical side of life which deals with matter, atoms, and neurons. There are four concepts that each argue their respective sides. For example, Physicalism is the belief that humans only have a physical brain along with other physical structures, whereas Idealism argues that everything is mind-based. Furthermore, Materialism argues that the whole universe is purely physical. However, the strongest case that answers the commonly asked questions such as “Does the mind exist?” and “Is the mind your brain?” is Dualism.

Are minds physical things, or are they nonmaterial? If your beliefs and desires are caused by physical events outside of yourself, how can it be true that you act the way you do of your own free will? Are people genuinely moved by the welfare of others, or is all behavior, in reality, selfish? (Sober 203). These are questions relevant to philosophy of the mind and discussed through a variety of arguments. Two of the most important arguments with this discussion are Cartesian dualism and logical behaviorism, both of which argue the philosophy of the mind in two completely different ways. Robert Lane, a professor at the University of West Georgia, define the two as follows: Cartesian dualism is the theory that the mind and body are two

Another issue Cartesian dualism faces in the mind-body problem. This is how the soul and the body are integrated, and considers how they affect one another. Descartes’ solution is that the body and the mind is separate. Idealists’ solution is that there is only mind, explaining the body as only being an extension of the mind. However as technology has advanced and neuroscience developed, processes such as emotions, memory and perceptions have all been shown to have a neurological basis, refuting the dualism theory of consciousness. PET, MRI, EEG and MEG are all ways of measuring electric and magnetic neural activity, gradually allowing the pathways and areas of the brain to be understood (Taylor 2013.) The mind is no longer such a mystery. A physical reductive approach could be taken to this mind-body problem, where our consciousness is purely generated from matter, and there is no “mind” in the way

On his essay “Can machines think?” Alan Turing, a great mathematician, and creator of the Turing Test presents us with the initial concept of what is now considered artificial intelligence. He states that eventually, as time progresses, machines will be able to think like humans. But, can a machine really think like a human? Can a machine even think on its own, or it is just based on human science and engineering to make computer systems perform tasks that require intelligence when done by humans?

lot of benefits and disadvantages, which would increase in the coming years. Artificial Intelligence would be beneficial to humans because we have a lot to improve upon in our society. Artificial Intelligence would be a great asset, but it should be treated with caution.

“Metaphysics encompass the study of what is sometimes termed “ultimate reality”. As such, metaphysics raises questions about reality that go beyond sense experience, beyond ordinary science. Metaphysical questions involve free will, the mind-body relationship, supernatural existence, personal immorality, and the nature of being. Some philosophers question the very possibility of a reality