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Are Robots Capable Of Moral Or Ethical?

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The field of robotics has changed dramatically during the last 30 years. The first mobile robots with any degree of autonomy did not receive attention until the 1970s-80s. Since then, major strides have been made, including applications of learning, interaction, robot cooperation, and simulated emotions. But the issue on the table right now is this: are robots capable of moral or ethical reasoning? This question is no longer a farfetched science fiction fantasy – the question itself has been put to the United Nations. I am sympathetic to the spirit of the motivation behind such a project – humans should try to develop ethical machines in hopes to eliminate human suffering. Yet as it stands, there are several major problems with this view. Although robotic warfare has the potential to diminish casualties and human suffering in future wars, the possibility of artificial intelligence learning ethical understanding to the standard held in warfare today is near outlandish at best. Automated warfare has many complications that humans would still be held responsible for concerning the morality of war, and there is not an algorithm capable of understanding human compassion. Foresight is critical to both minimize undesirable consequences as well as influence the benefits of technology. The issue must be approached in a critical manner, as to assure a task as large as this is handled properly. The idea of robots fighting wars leads to limitless possibilities. A robot, for the purpose

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