UK Report Says Robots Will Have Rights
 

This is totally ridiculous. How can robots have rights? The next thing you know, people will be calling for laws allowing humans to marry robots.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5ae9b434-8f8...0779e2340.html

Hilarious. Cleary, the UK has been watching too much "Battlestar Galactica!"

Rupert,
That is very sad news.

“If granted full rights, states will be obligated to provide full social benefits to them including income support, housing and possibly robo-healthcare to fix the machines over time,” it says.

But it points out that the process has casualties and the first one may be the environment, especially in the areas of energy and waste.

Golly, gee whiz!
Looks like I'll have to get rid of my little laughing Elmo guy so I don't have to pay child support, and that inflatable full sized barbie that sometimes is invited to share the blankets.
Can I still be "friends" with my vacuum cleaner? I've become quite fond of it. It has the makings of a real relationship.
If not, at least I still have my mirowave.
Do you think I'll lose her in a custody battle?
And what's with "energy and waste"? That will NEVER happen!

Well...if a machine becomes sentient then we do indeed have a problem! It may sound crazy on the surface but think about it...if something is self-aware then it has, by definition, "feelings" and would need to be granted certain "rights"...this is not a new issue, ever see Blade Runner? These will be important and difficult issues if indeed we create "life"!

Agree with that...these will not be simple questions to answer but, in the end, how we deals with them will determine the direction our world takes!

Good points Somerfrost.
Methinks we've created a "monster". For sure it's not me.
No, I haven't seen "Blade Runner"...will do soon.
Do you think I can keep my chainsaw?

Perhaps! Ethics has never been man's strong suit!

When I was shopping around to provide benefits to my employees I found that health insurance carriers would carry health insurance for the pet but not for the domestic partner. I found that to be unreal.

DTS: and I was sure you had one of those attack dog robots! As far as the microwave, I fear the, er..damge has be done!

Timm,
No attack dog robots for me...just an old bird dog that's real is fine enough.
He's sleeping at my feet right now.
Microwave ovens are pretty good. Just don't put your head in and hit the power button.
Lessons learned.

Cool about the old friend at your feet!

Did you guys see the movie "Sleeper"? There were some hilarious scenes with robots. They even had robot pets. I liked the robot dog who kept saying, "Hello my name is Rex, ruff ruff ruff."