QUOTE(DavidReinold @ Jul 31 2012, 12:36 AM)
First of all, I think you mean sociopath. Second, who is to say that human emotions are not 'simulated'? Emotions are nothing more than a chemical reaction to circumstance. The only difference would be replacing the chemical levels with wiring and data feeds. As it has been noted many times in this thread, humans are just organic computers. Our ability to perceive, our ability to organize information into blocks (which we call thoughts) and our ability to feel emotion (again, nothing more than a chemical stimulation), in the context of each other create what we believe to be awareness. There is no reason why a robot, if given the ability to have 'thoughts', the ability to feel emotions (even if only simulated), and the ability to have sensory contact with its surroundings, should not also be considered aware, and therefore able to legitimately 'feel' the emotions and 'think' the thoughts.
This is factually not right. It is very unclear what
emotions actually are. The general consensus of
emotional psychologists is that
emotions are evolution's answers to the requirements of survival and reproduction.
Further (and any of the following is explained with multiple, partially exchangable theories)
emotions are defined through 1) motivation of behavior, 2) preperation of behavior, 3) learning of consequences of behavior, 4) expressive behavior and social communication and 5) modulation of informational processes (such as focus of attention, etc.).
Moreover, each
emotion seems to consist of 1) subjective experience, 2) cognitive evaluation, 3) physiological processes and 4) behavioral compoments (both expressive and aimed at certain goals).
Lastly (well not lastly, but for this quick rundown it should suffice)
emotional psychologists differentiate 1)
emotions, 2) moods and 3)feelings.
1)
Emotions are psychophysiological reaction patterns that are triggered in the central nervous system, have specific causes, are aimed at specific objects, have relatively limited duration and aren't necessarily concious.
2) Moods are what could be described as the background of human experience, 'coloring' every experience.
3) Feelings are what many believe to be exlusive to humans and animals of "higher order". It's the 'quality' of experiece, something that's called 'qualia'.
You see,
emotions aren't at all just chemical reactions to circumstances. It is true that processes on the central nervous level are important in the generation of
emotions (but they are involved in
any form of human experience, so what of it?) but these alone aren't enough to describe even half-way decently what
emotions are.
Further, humans are not just organic computers, just like our brain isn't a computer. Unlike any computer that has ever been built, our brain tissue alters it's organization, interconnection, priorities, even
shape (admittingly, mostly on the neural level only but the brain consists almost only of neurons to be begin with)
every single moment of our lives (and than some while after we're dead). This goes beyond the potentials of computers
so much that the analogy is
extremely inaccurate and lacking.
Edit: Anyways, back on the actual topic: I suppose robots would be given the same rights as animals: just enough to calm the general public down but not enough to have any protection from exploitation.
Edited by Yoshimi, 31 July 2012 - 09:12 AM.