AIList-REQUEST@AI.AI.MIT.EDU (AIList Moderator Nick Papadakis) (05/25/88)
Date: 9 May 88 16:02:01 GMT From: bwk@mitre-bedford.arpa (Barry W. Kort) Reply-to: AIList@AI.AI.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: Punishment of machines [AIList Digest V7 #4] I was fascinated by John Nagle's rejoinder to my remarks about punishing a machine. John writes: > The concept of a machine which could be productively punished is >not totally unreasonable. It is, in fact, a useful property for some robots >to have. Robots that operate in the real world need mechanisms that implement >fear and pain to survive. Such machines will respond positively to punishment. > > I am working toward this end, am constructing suitable hardware and >software, and expect to demonstrate such robots in about a year. John's posting reminded me of the short story, "Soul of the Mark III Beast" which appears in _The Mind's I_. While I cannot dispute John's point that a game of engineered darwinism might produce a race of hardy robots, I must confess that I am troubled by the concept. Would not the survivors be liable to rising up against their creators in a titanic struggle for dominance and survival? Would we erect a new colliseum to enjoy the spectacle of intermachine warfare? Why am I both excited and horrified by the thought? --Barry Kort ------------------------------