Robots – good or bad?

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by jkriley28, Feb 17, 2005.

  1. Lodui

    Lodui One Man Orgy

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    But the opposite could be true too...

    a human who's battle weary and frightened of his opponent on the battlefield may make rash descions on whats a threat and not...

    A robot wouldn't have the same problems, and would react more logically to a threat, maybe not use lethal force if it weren't called for.
     
  2. adelic86

    adelic86 ~Music!~

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    i think robots can be used for good cause, but really only developed countries will probably have them and have the best technology, so if your talking about using them for war, developing countries will probably have no chance, i mean if it was Man Vs Robot, so maybe this is a good cause, but it all depends on what country is in the right or wrong to use them for these purposes.
     
  3. Veritas

    Veritas Member

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    Robots are the future whether you think they're good or bad. Robots will run our homes, work at our jobs and fight our wars. Sounds good to me.
     
  4. NatureFreak412

    NatureFreak412 Art of Balance

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    When I hear robots, the Matrix comes to mind
     
  5. ( ∞ )

    ( ∞ ) INFINITY

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    who cares?

    they're inevitable.
     
  6. NatureFreak412

    NatureFreak412 Art of Balance

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    how nice to see you again Mr Anderson.
     
  7. Syntax

    Syntax Senior Member

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    What's this connection that people have between robots and AI? It's not the same thing! A robot can, and usually has, no AI whatsoever. Just does what it is told.
     
  8. mhr

    mhr Member

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    I used to like computers, robots and AI technology. Now, the more it shows up in products, the more I start to hate it all. It increases the complexity of products and makes them less reliable and more costly.

    Far as robots taking jobs away from people, it has happened and will continue to happen. We have a steel plant nearby that is fully automated with robotics and very few people working there. This trend will continue without question. Who's going to buy all these products when nobody has a job.

    It's also easy to see that technology is turning people toward sedentary lifestyles. It's certaintly contributed to my downward spiral which is why I have recently chosen to ditch cable internet and TV. Should all be turned off in a day or two. I have internet at work so can still take care of the few things I need to do.

    Because of cell phones, computers, highspeed internet, faster delivery services... the world has become obsessed with instant everything. The world is so fast paced because of all this technology it's just insane and reaching beyond human endurance. How may people work way too many hours every week for months on end because everything they do has to be done NOW!!! NOW!!! NOW!!! It's utter madness. And every time humans can't keep up, you can bet a robot will soon be developed to take the task over. Then, when next person in line can't keep up with the new robot, it's time to solve that with yet another robot. It's an ugly vicious chain reaction.
     
  9. Nickel

    Nickel Member

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    There is nothing wrong with robots.


    Wars are complete stupidity. People are stuipid. You would think that if a human being is capable of building a machine that is capable of replacing a human, and playing the role of god by doing so, then you would think that a human being would be able to solve all the problems surrounding us so that we wouldn't need to fight wars.

    Technology is simply a tool. Guns don't hurt people, people do.

    As far as A.I. goes...now that's when things get interesting.
    Darwin stated: "Survival of the fittest"...

    If we create beings that are superior than us in both a physical and intellectual way, than clearly they will take control.

    Whether or not they will use force or not is the real question.

    I find that most of the time I have to take control of the situations that arise on a daily basis, simply because I believe that I will do a better job than most people. I like to lead because I am confident and I don't give a shit about what other people think. However, if I run into a situation where I know someone else is better equipped to handle it, I have no problem stepping aside.
    I would have no problem is a superior being took control, as long as they were just. And why wouldn't they be? machines would not value the same resources we do. We would need them as much as they need us.
    A machine that is superior than us would simply not be "egotistical and ignorant". The wouldn't be attached to their physical beings like humans are, simply because they are not limited to them. They could upload themselves into whatever. One minute they could be a PDA the other a bus. They could be e-mailed across the planet or even the galaxy.

    Segregation would be annihilated instantaneously.

    I have no problem with machines, or A.I.
    I hope that one day somebody somewhere makes a machine that can think and feel. Feel enough pity for all humanity to end our suffering once and for all. Whether they kill us or not is irrelavent.

    Yes, I am insane...
     
  10. not intelligent, so doesn't suffer\die, it's when you get to sentience when shit hits the fan
     
  11. Abulafia

    Abulafia Member

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    Hope this isn't too big a tangent: I'm going to widen to automation in general, whether it be "Robby the Robot" or "Matrix" style, or whether it be Expert Systems, Neural Networks, Factory Automation, and whatnot.

    As ( ∞ ) points out, they're inevitable. While the fact of automation may be inevitable, the shape it takes is not, and that seems absolutely key. There's generally two ways it can go:

    1) We automate the vast majority of people out of a job. A few elites at the top have even vaster power than they presently do, and the rest of people have just enough to keep them from being a serious threat to those elites. Some version of this is inevitable if we continue working with in our present economic system, as it's the most 'logical' business practice within this economy.

    2) We change our economy, so that when a job is automated, humanity benefits. From a 'Fulleresque' perspective, there are x number of people on the planet expending y amount of energy getting z things done. It should be a truth that by reducing y, all x people benefit. Within closed systems small enough for community this can work:

    Two examples to illustrate:

    Scenario 1:
    A corporation has 1000 employees. 50 of primarily take dictation and answer phones. The company does a cost-benefit analysis, and realizes that by sacking those 50 employees and buying voice recognition software and setting up an (infuriating) automated phone service, they save vast quantities of money. What will they do?

    Scenario 2:
    You live in a community house with 4 other people. It's designated as your job to wash the dishes after every meal. You decide to invest in a dishwasher.

    Who benefits?

    (That's rough, but hey, I'm tired ;) )
     
  12. Bilby

    Bilby Lifetime Supporter and Freerangertarian Super Moderator

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    Automatic washing machines and breadmakers are essentially robots, albiet stationary ones.
     

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