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Examining the Ethical Implications of Robots in War

Schneier points out an interesting (and long, 117-pages) paper on the ethical implications of robots in war [PDF]. "This report has provided the motivation, philosophy, formalisms, representational requirements, architectural design criteria, recommendations, and test scenarios to design and construct an autonomous robotic system architecture capable of the ethical use of lethal force. These first steps toward that goal are very preliminary and subject to major revision, but at the very least they can be viewed as the beginnings of an ethical robotic warfighter. The primary goal remains to enforce the International Laws of War in the battlefield in a manner that is believed achievable, by creating a class of robots that not only conform to International Law but outperform human soldiers in their ethical capacity."

7 of 369 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome our new robotic overlords.

  2. The biggest question... by jockeys · · Score: 4, Funny

    Do these killbots have a preset kill limit? Can they be defeated by sending wave after wave of your own men at them?

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    In Soviet Russia jokes are formulaic and decidedly non-humorous.
    1. Re:The biggest question... by Sciros · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's probably MAX_INT.

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      I like basketball!!1!
  3. Re:What's the point? by KublaiKhan · · Score: 3, Funny

    At which point, once they take up arms, they're conveniently reclassifying themselves as irregular enemy combatants. If they had only stayed calm and awaited further instruction from our occupying forces, robotic or otherwise, this sad scene could have been avoided. We're just trying to be as humane as possible; is it our fault if they aren't going to follow directions?

    Think like an evil overlord, man!

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    In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
    A stately pleasure dome decree
  4. Natalie Portman Robot by letchhausen · · Score: 5, Funny

    When are they going to stop using robots for evil and start using it for good? I want a Natalie Portman "pleasure model" robot and I want it now! Science has lost it's way.....

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    Hey, you think your house is cool?
  5. So what you're really saying is... by riseoftheindividual · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...you want robots to make love and not war.

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    Patriot - A fan of expanding government power and spending while not wanting to pay higher taxes.
  6. Re:What's the point? by Dancindan84 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Also I'd bet you need some sort of networking to coordinate the robots. Probably wireless. I agree. Let's do it centrally. We can name the hub skynet. Or V.I.K.I.
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    "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde