Should robots lie?

External Since: Dec 06, 2003 Posts: 895

"Jens E. Nyborg" wrote:

> IsaacKuo wrote:
>
> > The 3 laws of robotics were invented by Isaac Asimov so he
> > could write interesting stories around them. They have not,
> > AFAIK, ever been implemented in any meaningful way in any
> > actual robot.
>
> Somewhere amongst my books there is one where Asimov claim the
> realization that his three laws of robotics are just a special case of
> the four? laws of tools:
>
> 1st. A tool may not harm people. If possible a tool must prevent harm to
> people.
>
> 2nd. A tool should perform the desired function, unless this would cause
> harm to people.

What if the desired function is to kill enemy troops? I have heard of
weapons refered to as tools.

> 3rd. A tool should not break, unless this is integral to its function or
> breaking is necessary to prevent harm to people.
>
> 4th. I don't recall. Maybe there was no 4th?

External Since: Dec 06, 2003 Posts: 895

Russell Wallace wrote:

> chornedsnorkack DeleteThis @hushmail.com wrote:
> > But were the Three Laws well designed to meet their goals?
>
> Yes. Their goals were:
>
> 1) Be short enough to be usable for short story purposes (where the laws
> must be restated at the start of each story for new readers, without
> annoying old readers with a long infodump).
>
> 2) Sound plausible enough for willing suspension of disbelief.
>
> 3) Be sufficiently vague and loophole-rich to lead to lots of
> story-usable trouble.

Such as Bailey pointing out in "The Naked Sun" that robots can be tricked
into harming humans.