If a robot murders someone, who is responsible, the creator or the robot?
- Thread starter SUPA FRANKY
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If the robot is self aware and chooses to kill someone, than it is it's fault. However, if the robot killed someone due to a glitch or defect, than it is the creator's fault.
If it really is free will then the creator has no more control over its choices then a parent of a childs. They both influence the creation to be good and obey the laws, but at the end of the day if the child or robot decides to kill, then its their choice and neither a parent or creator could be blamed or held responsible.SUPA FRANKY said:
Too many variables for me to concoct a good answer.
Was the robot let free into the world without guidance? Did it learn everything from scratch? Can it lie? Did the same person both design and program it? How smart is it? Is the robot's processing power similar to a human being's? Did it know there was a consequence for murder? any witnesses around to comment on the robot's behavior? What was it doing beforehand? Can you access it's previous though processes and try to discern it's motive?
Anyway, I should think it would be the robot's fault, unless the creator didn't have some way of monitoring it.
Was the robot let free into the world without guidance? Did it learn everything from scratch? Can it lie? Did the same person both design and program it? How smart is it? Is the robot's processing power similar to a human being's? Did it know there was a consequence for murder? any witnesses around to comment on the robot's behavior? What was it doing beforehand? Can you access it's previous though processes and try to discern it's motive?
Anyway, I should think it would be the robot's fault, unless the creator didn't have some way of monitoring it.
If you create something with free will you have an obligation to at least try to teach it some moral values of the society. If you don't and robot kills someone because it doesn't know better then you are responsible if you didn't do anything to stop it and you could. Basically the same principle that works with kids applies to robots IMO.
Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?
If the robot has free will, the same rules apply as if an underage child committed the crime. The parents are responsible for it, to an extent.
If the robot has free will, the same rules apply as if an underage child committed the crime. The parents are responsible for it, to an extent.
Both the creator and the robot are equally culpable. Assuming this is taking place in a world that follows Asimov's laws of robotics, the creator is guilty of creating a robot that is capable of breaking the first law (A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm), while the robot is guilty using its free will to both break the first law and commit murder.
Logically, the creator should be charged with involuntary manslaughter and/or any laws pertaining to deliberate circumvention of the laws of robotics, and the robot should be charged with murder.
Logically, the creator should be charged with involuntary manslaughter and/or any laws pertaining to deliberate circumvention of the laws of robotics, and the robot should be charged with murder.
It would be a major victory for robots everywhere if the robot was held responsible, and it would set a major precedent for how robots would be tried in court and treated in real life...
So I'm going to say that the robot is responsible, but I would hope that the human was held responsible by a court of law. Less chance for a robot uprising that way.
So I'm going to say that the robot is responsible, but I would hope that the human was held responsible by a court of law. Less chance for a robot uprising that way.
The creator. People kill each other because we're all born with an instinctual inclination towards violence. If a robot decides to kill someone, that same instinct was put there by the creator.
If the robot has free will, then by definition it's the robot's fault.
If it's the creator's fault, that implies the robot doesn't in fact have free will.
The question is, what was the robot created to do in the first place, why does it have free will, and why did it murder someone?
If it was created specifically to kill people, then obviously the creator is at fault.
If it truly has free will and made the decision to kill someone independently of any pre-programmed instructions, it's the robot's fault.
If it has faulty programming (or, if it has learning algorithms, a bad education) that caused it to go insane somehow... That's a bit more complicated, and it becomes more akin to a parent.
If it's the creator's fault, that implies the robot doesn't in fact have free will.
The question is, what was the robot created to do in the first place, why does it have free will, and why did it murder someone?
If it was created specifically to kill people, then obviously the creator is at fault.
If it truly has free will and made the decision to kill someone independently of any pre-programmed instructions, it's the robot's fault.
If it has faulty programming (or, if it has learning algorithms, a bad education) that caused it to go insane somehow... That's a bit more complicated, and it becomes more akin to a parent.
I'm a strong follower of determinism, and don't believe in true 'free will', so technically, no-one is responsible.
However, in order to prevent sociological chaos, some sort of sanction must be put in place on the creator, perhaps regulations disallowing the free creation of robots capable of this kind of act, and the disassembly of all of that model of robot. Kinda like putting a dog down.
As for responsibility? Neither are to blame.
However, in order to prevent sociological chaos, some sort of sanction must be put in place on the creator, perhaps regulations disallowing the free creation of robots capable of this kind of act, and the disassembly of all of that model of robot. Kinda like putting a dog down.
As for responsibility? Neither are to blame.
I would have to say this. Unless theres a hidden line of code that makes the robot kill someone specific, if the robot has free will, they are responsible. Of course, the creater should have some kind of punishment, if for no other reason than because he gave the robot free will.zipzod said:
It would be the makers fault because there would be no real way to show that the machine actually had free will. A machine programed to believe it has free will isn't the same has actually having it, and killing someone could be the programs way of trying to show that it isn't a program running things.