by D. Kearney Sparano

Created on: June 14, 2009

All this has happened before and all this will happen again...

Science fiction is filled with stories of robots and scenarios where technology has overtaken humanity. Terminator, Blade Runner, The Matrix and of course Battle Star Galactica all raise the ethical questions of robotics and artificial intelligence. But are they questions are just worries and worst case scenarios, and if we must ask a question perhaps it is this: Do we really want to create artificial intelligence?

If the answer is no, then robots and robotics will remain complex tools, controlled and operated by humans. They will build cars, assist in surgery and continue to perform operations that are beyond human capability. All the while though a human will be either at a key board or joy stick telling it what to do. In which case there is no ethical dilemma or worst case scenario to be pondered. No one has any worries when they use a hammer or any other tool.

The real questions and concerns comes with the idea of artificial intelligence. the idea seems to be either that we will create it or that machines will achieve sentience on their own. No matter how this occurs if this scenariocomes to fruition problems may be abound. The classic battle of man vs. machine. The Sci-Fi idea is that machines will either want independence and equal rights to humans and in our typical narrow minded arrogance we will deny them, thus sparking a war. Another possible scenario is that as machines develop they will see the failityof humans and themselves as the next step in intelligent life. All these ideas though are just that, ideas and as far as i know nothing has occurred for us to think that this is a plausible future.

However, to speculate on the possible would take hours and hours, and I simply do not have the time to invest. As it stands right now my thoughts on robotics is simple: keep them as tools and toys. In my mind there is no harm in building a machine to do a job that a human cannot. We need robots to probe the depths of the ocean and explore the planets of the solar system. Robot tools that can help sure disease and help the infirmed I am all for.

If anything let us just not build our replacements. I mean that both in the grand Sci-Fiway, as well as the practical economical way. With today's economy every job available is precious. Lets give them to as many humans as possible. So long as we keep robots dependent on human operation, things will remain copasetic.

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