How Robots May Change Religion

Posted by | August 15, 2015 13:00 | Filed under: Planet Religion

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Killing a robot, as happened in Pennsylvania, may be immoral.

hitchBOT had big dreams. The hitchhiking robot was able to catch rides across Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands with no issue. Then he — well, his Ontario-based makers — decided it was time to see the States. Launching in Salem, Massachusetts, en route to San Francisco, hitchBOT cruised to Philadelphia when someone destroyed him. Another murder for ‘Merica.

But is it murder? The obvious answer is no, being that hitchBOT is not sentient. Yet how long will we be able to reply this way when the promise of AI draws nearer?

During a recent Joe Rogan podcast, actor/comedian Duncan Trussell recalled bringing up the consequences of AI with a Tibetan Buddhist monk. How will artificial intelligence affect the Buddhist notion of karma and reincarnation? The monk replied that the “stuff” of consciousness, even when artificially created, would join the merry-go-round and go along for the ride, a seamless insert from an unexpected source.

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Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

11 responses to How Robots May Change Religion

  1. Mike August 15th, 2015 at 13:11

    Destruction of property is not robotocide…Would you cal the theft of a robot kidnapping…??? Probably not.

  2. Dwendt44 August 15th, 2015 at 16:27

    Typically, AI deals with hard data, numbers and so forth. They will not be religious as religions are based on guesses, wishful thinking, fear and imagination. Religious leaders will likely see AI as a dire threat to their way of life and their followers faith.

    • Kick Frenzy August 15th, 2015 at 22:57

      Typically, yes… but we’re not talking about what’s currently typical.
      This is about AI that’s taught similar to a human child, until it “grows up” mentally.

      Could you truly say it wouldn’t have a sense of awareness if the thought processes of the human brain are mimicked in how they develop their robo-minds?
      I doubt they would be religious, but who knows…

      Either way, I can easily see a day when androids are part of every day life.
      And if we don’t give them equal rights, then they’ll have just as much right to protest as any disenfranchised group there is.
      Eventually, they’ll get those rights.. at least to some degree.
      (But that’s just my opinion.)

  3. Warman1138 August 15th, 2015 at 19:50

    Boon or bane, it will be for the future to decide.

    • Kick Frenzy August 15th, 2015 at 22:52

      We’re part of that future.

  4. Kick Frenzy August 15th, 2015 at 23:01

    I like the monks answer. :)

    And as far as how long until we see rights for robots with AI (it’s not like vacuum cleaner WILL be able to marry you), probably not as long as it seems.

    My prediction is that if AI bots/androids don’t have some form of protection/rights in 10 – 15 years, it’ll be a topic being seriously considered and legislation being crafted, at the very least.

    • Warman1138 August 15th, 2015 at 23:20

      I like the monks answer also. But knowing human nature, I fear corporations exploitation of dark and terrible things.

      • Kick Frenzy August 15th, 2015 at 23:33

        Yeah, I’m not sure which way everything will go, but I would be surprised if we don’t get there at all.

        Hopefully it won’t all go to hell.

  5. fahvel August 16th, 2015 at 03:37

    probably increase the congregations of already in place robots sitting in pews.

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