As We Approach First Era Of Thinking Machines, Rabbi Uses Biblical And Rabbinic Scriptures To Argue God Is Watching, So We Better Be Nice To Our Sophisticated Anthropoids

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Aug 10, 2010, 9:30:28 PM8/10/10

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As We Approach First Era Of Thinking Machines, Rabbi Uses
Biblical And Rabbinic Scriptures To Argue God Is Watching,
So We Better Be Nice To Our Sophisticated Anthropoids

When the first thinking machine rolls out of the lab — and it will, one of these days — it will seem human. When it controls a sophisticated anthropoid robot, the robot’s behavior will be indistinguishable, by and large, from a human being's. It will converse and cope with the world as a human does. It will certainly be far more human-like than any ape or dolphin. Most of us tend to anthropomorphize the natural world. We treat pets as quasi-human. We anthropomorphize animals we work with or rely on, as many people used to treat their horses. Small children treat dolls or stuffed animals as if they were human. The first thinking machine or anthropoid robot will be far more human-like than any pet dog or workhorse. It will be natural to address such a machine as “you” and unnatural to smash it to bits with a sledgehammer. After all, you might have had detailed, intimate, confidential conversations with this machine about your love life or children or best friends — and the machine might have made witty comments or offered valuable advice.