[extropy-chat] pest-devouring automaton

[Jeff Medina]

This is such a bioLudd argument, I'm baffled by its appearance.

Of course this technology can and hence may well be turned to some
nasty use by a sadistic killer. The very same argument applies to real
AI. Are you quite against the development of AI as well? After all, a
tweak here and there in a moral subroutine, and a real AI can kill
many more humans than a roving metal mountain lion.

Building a variety of digestive systems may give us insight into the
human digestive system, or insight into how to improve it and thereby
make ourselves better off. (BTW, does anyone know the relative
efficiency of methanol-burning as compared with biological digestion?)

But, aside from that knowledge-based reason to pursue more
biologically realistic robots, I quite agree with the examples
mentioned earlier by spike. Technological progress will and should
march on to better society, and ultimately make life safer and more
comfortable, carnivorous-robo-phobia and other little kid comic book
nightmares aside.


On Sat, 1 Jan 2005 13:58:11 +0100, Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org> wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 01, 2005 at 01:23:14AM -0500, Jeff Medina wrote:
> 
> > Yes, down with the obviously non-desirable self-powering robots!
> 
> Not self-powering. That's something different. Down with carnivorous robots!
> Long live methanol-guzzling self-refuelling robot chassis!
> 
> > I hear those nasty hackers, computer viruses, and sociopaths can
> > manipulate PCs to evil ends, as well. And don't forget sociopaths
> 
> If PCs were cruising Predator drones you'd have a point.
> 
> > running us down in automobiles, or rigging internal combustion engines
> > to explode in public areas, and making use of that bullshit "lever"
> 
> Yeah, and fire hazard due to burning giraffes.
> 
> > invention to hurl rocks at us, and use that nasty setback "fire" to
> > burn us.
> >
> > Good call, Hara!
> 
> --
> Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a>
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