Should I Have The Right To Destroy What I Create?

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Scifi question: Let’s say I created a conscious machine with the ability to think and feel in ways that are indistinguishable from that of human beings. (By this I mean that, were you to chat anonymously with it online, you couldn’t tell the difference between it and a human.)

Now, let’s say, that I want to use the parts of that machine for a different project. Should I have the right to destroy it?
 
IBM has already created a machine that apparently thinks like a human. But if you’re asking about actual consciousness, I don’t think that’s possible. We don’t really know how our mind functions. You can look at the brain and see all the synapses firing and even map it’s functions and where memories are kept. But you can’t see the memories, or the actual thoughts of the mind.

But say for the sake of argument that such a thing was possible and the machine was able to convince you that it had somehow acquired a separate consciousness, I would suggest that the same ethical rules the apply to clones would apply here. A consciousness would imply a soul, which is something only God can create, and therefore only God can destroy.

That’s my :twocents:: off the top of my head.
 
I wrestled with a similar thought experiment before I deconverted.

The answer I came up with is “no.”
 
Sparkythedog said:
Now, let’s say, that I want to use the parts of that machine for a different project. Should I have the right to destroy it?
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That depends on what you mean by the word “right” and which variation of it that you are applying.
 
ThinkingSapien said:
That depends on what you mean by the word “right” and which variation of it that you are applying.
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From your perspective, do you think I should be allowed to destroy a conscious entity that I created?
 
seagal said:
IBM has already created a machine that apparently thinks like a human. But if you’re asking about actual consciousness, I don’t think that’s possible. We don’t really know how our mind functions. You can look at the brain and see all the synapses firing and even map it’s functions and where memories are kept. But you can’t see the memories, or the actual thoughts of the mind.

But say for the sake of argument that such a thing was possible and the machine was able to convince you that it had somehow acquired a separate consciousness, I would suggest that the same ethical rules the apply to clones would apply here. A consciousness would imply a soul, which is something only God can create, and therefore only God can destroy.

That’s my :twocents:: off the top of my head.
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This is a thought experiment. In this scenario I created a conscious machine. God did not create it for me. My wuestion is, should I be allowed to destroy it on a whim?
 
Sparkythedog said:
Scifi question: Let’s say I created a conscious machine with the ability to think and feel in ways that are indistinguishable from that of human beings. (By this I mean that, were you to chat anonymously with it online, you couldn’t tell the difference between it and a human.)

Now, let’s say, that I want to use the parts of that machine for a different project. Should I have the right to destroy it?
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If your machine actually has a conscious mind that thinks and feels, I would say no, you do not have the moral right to destroy it.
 
Sparkythedog said:
This is a thought experiment. In this scenario I created a conscious machine. God did not create it for me. My wuestion is, should I be allowed to destroy it on a whim?
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Since machines dont have souls, conscious or not, id say yes you have the right.
 
meltzerboy said:
If your machine actually has a conscious mind that thinks and feels, I would say no, you do not have the moral right to destroy it.
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Consciousness shouldn’t be the issue. There are living humans who are unconscious and it would still be immoral to kill them.

If there is no soul theres no problem IMO.
 
The corollary questions are practically endless.

Do you have an obligation to maintain its existence?
What if its existence is tortuous, are you obligated to ensure its happiness?
What if its existence is detrimental to itself or “others”?
Are you then obligated to isolate it from others for their sake?
And which would be worse, isolation, or destruction?

Obviously the creation of a conscious entity comes with a vast array of moral and ethical conundrums, but it is perhaps by contemplating just such questions that one may begin to get a glimpse into the mind of God.

What are the obligations of a creator to that which He creates, if that creation is a conscious being?
 
valekhai said:
I think that the presence of consciousness presents a moral obligation that trumps any sort of ownership claim you would have on the machine.
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What is it about consciousness that creates this obligation?
 
Ooh! Good ones!
Partinobodycula said:
The corollary questions are practically endless.

Do you have an obligation to maintain its existence?
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This is the question that I am trying to get at.
Partinobodycula said:
What if its existence is tortuous, are you obligated to ensure its happiness?
What if its existence is detrimental to itself or “others”?
Are you then obligated to isolate it from others for their sake?
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Let’s just say my conscious machine is no more harmful than a person with no arms and legs. I’ll leave it to you to decide if words and thoughts can be more dangerous than physical abilities.
Partinobodycula said:
And which would be worse, isolation, or destruction?
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Non existence didn’t bother me before but isolation can be terrifying.
Partinobodycula said:
Obviously the creation of a conscious entity comes with a vast array of moral and ethical conundrums, but it is perhaps by contemplating just such questions that one may begin to get a glimpse into the mind of God.

What are the obligations of a creator to that which He creates, if that creation is a conscious being?
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Agreed! And you’re moving the thread in the direction I was hoping it would go. 👍
 
Thorns said:
Consciousness shouldn’t be the issue. There are living humans who are unconscious and it would still be immoral to kill them.

If there is no soul theres no problem IMO.
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What is a soul?
 
Sparkythedog said:
Scifi question: Let’s say I created a conscious machine with the ability to think and feel in ways that are indistinguishable from that of human beings. (By this I mean that, were you to chat anonymously with it online, you couldn’t tell the difference between it and a human.)

Now, let’s say, that I want to use the parts of that machine for a different project. Should I have the right to destroy it?
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If you are a product of God’s Will/Power/Assent/Making/Creation, then it is impossible for you in your own right and power to ‘create’, since you and indeed all else is OF God.

God is acaused, are you?
 
Mount_Carmel said:
If you are a product of God’s Will/Power/Assent/Making/Creation, then it is impossible for you in your own right and power to ‘create’, since you and indeed all else is OF God.

God is acaused, are you?
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So in my scenario here, I didn’t actually design and create a conscious machine? Are you saying that anything that I (or anyone else) have ever designed and created was actually created by God and not by me (or them)?
 
Sparkythedog said:
What is it about consciousness that creates this obligation?
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Empathy, mostly. The things we value most about ourselves and other people are products of their consciousness, so we should value it when we see it. You also have the whole capacity for happiness and suffering aspect to consider.

It’s probably also worth something that consciousness is so very rare, and we tend to value things that are rare.
 
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