VIKI: What Does It Means To Be Human

What does it mean to be a human? Is it anything significant in this? Or we are simply just a bunch of nerve impulses enclosed in biological mass of our bodies? Certainly, there should be something that constitutes a person, something that discern humans from the life of plant, or even other living organism. No surprise that we feel that we are superior and special above all other species.

In analyzing how the use of robots changed the world, we are going to look at two ethical

At some point in time we have all wondered what it means to human, and what we are supposed to do with our lives. Throughout the centuries, there have been gradual changes in what it means to be human. Through Pico della Mirandola we will how man became the measure and took the place of God, through Charles Darwin we will see how nature and science began to take the place of man, and through the art of Friedrich we can visually see all of these changes.

Even if come to the robots that are purposely designed to simulate human kinds, certain moral bottom principles will be installed in to the core program of the robot, which means certain “rebellion” can be prevented by the human kind in

Throughout history, the human race has always had constants in how the world functions; love, hate, war, life, death, and at the base of it all, free will. Without free will, life would have no meaning, there would be nothing special about anyone on this earth and the fact that every single person on this earth has a say in everything that they do is what makes life itself beautiful. Elie Wiesel once stated, “…action is the only remedy for indifference: the most insidious danger of them all.” Mr. Wiesel’s statement is true when he says that indifference is a danger and that taking action is a good way to fix it, but his statement is also wrong because it does not take into account human free will and that when people

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.

This article begins by outlining the tragic death of an artificial intelligence robot, named Steve. Steve’s accidental death, by stairs, raises a lot of new questions surrounding robots, and their rights. In his article, Leetaru, discusses the range of questions that have sparked from not only Steve’s death, but the rise of advanced robot mechanics. While the Silicon Valley is busy grinding out new plans and models of robots, especially security robots, how can we establish what a mechanical robot is entitled to? Leetaru offers many different scenarios concerning robots against aggressors, in hopes to reveal that these rights be outlined with the rise in usage of this technology. The article speculates how in the future, when these robots

The eminent 20th century psychologist, Erich Fromm in his “Afterword” to 1984 asks: “Can human nature be changed in such a way that man will forget his longing for freedom, for dignity, for integrity, for love – that is to say, can man forget that he is human? Or does human nature have a dynamism which will react to the violation of these basic needs by attempting to change an inhumane society into a humane one? (318) In 1984 by George Orwell, human nature is depicted as an illusion. Every single aspect of human thought and behavior, from speech to facial expression, is controlled and manipulated by the Party; the Party defines “humanity”. Rebels (people that commit

In recent years technology has begun to grow at an astounding rate. Within the article “The Pentagon’s ‘Terminator conundrum” one such advancement in technology is discussed, describing the utilization of autonomous weapons within the military and the possibility of utilizing them to supersede human soldiers. While such technology seems like it wouldn’t be feasible till the distant future, the concept is presently being tested in military based drones within the pentagon. Some people disagree with the notion of giving machines the competency to make autonomous decisions on the battlefield, particularly the use of lethal force, believing machines aren’t trustworthy and could result in greater loss of life. If we were to ask an ancient philosopher

The boundless potential of tomorrow's artificial intelligence is plighted by the hurdle of ethical conundrums. While robot weapons allow for countries to extirpate the security threats which produce the daily fear that dictates many lives, the use of these tools has to follow a legal precedent. What is the value of life? Further, what constitutes the characteristics of a target? Although, even after such a ruling the use of said weapons should be discouraged given the implications that such strikes will bring about.

There are many different meanings to being human. Being human means being a mundane that tries to make sense of its spiritual existence. We are not human, we are simply being human. If we were not to be born as humans, we may have been born as animals. In Book I of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle introduces his argument by distinguishing between two types of ends which human beings strive for. He states, “For the end is sometimes an activity, sometimes a product beyond the activity; and when there is an end beyond the action, the product is by nature better than the activity” (1).

C. Joy Bell C. once said, “There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human, in not having to be just happy or just sad, in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time.” Blade Runner, the film directed by Ridley Scott, brings one to ask oneself: what really makes someone human? The replicants in this film are an advanced version of humans, bioengineered and cloned to be stronger, faster, and smarter than humans. Replicants do not last long, and are “retired” before they can evolve to have their own emotions or thoughts, many of them know that they are replicants, but there are a few who have lived believing they are human. Deckard shows no emotion when he is assigned to “retire”

“What makes us human?”, is an unanswered question asked by many. Is it because of our ability to have empathy for others? Or is it because of our cognitive ability which allows us to look into the future? One of the main arguments made that separates humans from animals is our communication style; our language. Is language inherently unique to human? To answer such a question, we first operationally define language as; “a system of communication based upon words and the combination of words into sentences” (University of Oslo). The purpose of language is for us to be able to convey an infinite amount of ideas to one another. Sign language in general also falls under this definition as it has a complex system of rules and syntax that allow the signed figures to function as words. Animal communication on the other hand, is operationally defined as, “the transmission of a signal from one animal to another such that the sender benefits, on average, from the response of the recipient” (Pearce 1987). With this in mind, current research has shown that the answer is that language is inherently unique to humans.

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.

Human nature, the essence of what makes a human person what they are, is something that everybody has. Every person is innately a person, but how they put their personhood into action is the biggest indicator of their character, or the projection of a person’s human nature. At their core there is human nature, but their actions are what direct this source of humanity. The quality of someone’s actions is shaped by their environment and sometimes their biological makeup as well. Human nature does not have good or evil characteristics. It is how a person thinks and acts that is the true factor in the shaping of their character.