A Robotic Body Via Remote Neuron Detectors - 1438 Words

Humanity has always sought immortality, but now, immortality is more feasible than ever before. Due to recent scientific advances, rat brain cells have been extracted and then grown independently of a body. These cells have been used to control a robotic body via remote neuron detectors. The researcher leading the study, Kevin Warwick, is confident that as technology progresses, the size of these human-created biological brains will increase dramatically, soon reaching the level of approximately 60 percent of a human brain (Warwick 230). This indicates the possibility of eventual human brain transplant to a robotic body. IBM has recently announced that, using their Dawn system of Blue Gene supercomputers, IBM researchers have simulated a†¦show more content†¦These two views seem difficult to reconcile, but there has been a great deal of productive dialogue, and attempts at narrowing the issue. Other groups of engineering philosophers, represented by Neely, have argued that i f a machine has self-interests and is not defined by external human inputs, it must be considered a rational agent, and afforded rights as befits such a station. Cybernetics researchers argue that Warwick’s study, IBM’s AI(Artificial Intelligence) project, and similar efforts force the resolution of this debate, and suggest that robots must inevitably be treated as humans as their intelligence increases (Warwick 223-234). Because these disparate views are a direct result of shareholder’s direct values, negotiating an acceptable solution requires understanding each stakeholder’s underlying values. A solution that encompasses only one’s personal opinions is no better than imposing one’s will upon others. Even if this solution is enforced by legislation, if the solution does not have shareholder backing it will be undermined by shareholders, and avoided by loopholes. The proposed solution is to consider biological brains composed of human neuro ns, regardless of how these neurons were cultured, and AI that is a direct simulation of a synaptic brain, as intelligent life. Because these biological brains and AI are