Robotics Reference
In-Depth Information
robot consciousness in gently graded stages. First we will consider the
arguments most often levelled against the concept, and their refutations.
Then we discuss various reasons that have been put forward to explain
why consciousness in robots
might
be possible, and we conclude this sec-
tion with assertions from eminent scientists and philosophers that robot
consciousness
is
possible.
It is a received notion that only something that is alive can have con-
sciousness. One way to dispense with this argument is to question the
argument's foundation—what is the meaning of “alive” in this context?
Is it
1. Being able to move itself? (Robots can.)
2. Being able to grow without outside help? (Robots can already build
themselves into bigger robots.)
3. Being able to regulate its own bodily functions? (In the eighteenth
century the French inventor Vaucason created a mechanical duck
which digested its food and excreted. Consider also, as just one
modern example, the “screen saver” programs we have on our PCs
for regulating the use of our computer screens.)
4. Being able to reproduce? (As we have seen in Chapter 11 this is
already possible.)
5. Having a metabolism? (The development of gastrobots is thriving
at the University of Southern Florida and at the University of the
West of England. These are robots that derive all of their energy
requirements from the digestion of real food.)
6. Being made of protein? (Advances in DNA computing may make
this particular objection null and void.
5
)
The above pseudo-objections were suggested by philosopher William
Lycan, who believes it very unlikely that having a metabolism or being
made of protein could be attributes of a machine. Even if his speculation
5
Protein sequences are encoded by DNA sequences—this relationship is called the genetic code
and a gene made from DNA is the code to build a protein. Therefore protein depends on DNA
for its formation because proteins manufacture themselves by decoding the information contained
in DNA that tells the builder proteins how to make themselves. But, paradoxically, DNA depends
on protein for its own formation. With such a close relationship between DNA and protein, the
requirement that life requires protein can be seen to be equivalent to saying that life requires DNA,
and therefore DNA computers are, by definition, alive.
