Robots and Marriage

[darknova]

Hi,

It is quite possible that in this century that we will develop artifical intelligence and be able to make robots that look alot like humans.

It is almost certain that some humans will want to marry and have sex with robots, it may even have happened already, but is this moral?

Do you think it will be opposed as much as much as homosexual marriage and sex is? How will religious fundementalists react considering the Bible says nothing about this?

In my opinion it may be easier for society to accept because it could look more 'natural'.

Also attached to this if whether robots would get human rights, which would probably have to be renamed, rights of personhood (or something like that).

 

[lawtonfogle]

My question... what if there are child robots, who look/act like children? Will this provide a partner for people who can't marry a real person, perhaps leading to a major reduction in the number of real children abused, or will we censor such robots, saying that marrying/ect. such a robot is child molestation (just like we do with drawings)?

In general, how have people reacted to marrying video game characters? In Japan, it seems there is something of an industry for it, but I doubt Americans would be as accepting. Robots would likely have to fight for any rights they want, and that fight may get very bloody.

 

[revanneosl]

This right here is why it's very very important to read Science Fiction. It's the only way to study up for the ethical dilemmas you're likely to encounter in the future.

 

[IreneAdler]

I don't see it as any different than... sexual aids... but it's icky as a complete substitute forever (just my personal opinion as I'm given to like flesh guys). As far as moral, social norms dictate the morality of an idea, so it depends on social norms at the time.

 

[Jade Margery]

Well, I think it's pretty simple... there are already people who fall in love with objects (there's some kind of name for it, I forget what it is, but like the woman who fell in love and 'married' a roller coaster.) You can call yourself married to whatever or whoever you want and so long as that thing is a consenting person or an inanimate object that could not possibly care, I doubt there will be anything wrong with it. The legal aspects of person-person marriage would not apply to marrying an object/robot though. I'd say that robot-human marriages would be afforded the same rights as traditional marriage when robots are afforded the same rights as people. Which, if it was a sophisticated enough 'true' artificial intelligence, is totally plausible.

 

[darknova]

My question... what if there are child robots, who look/act like children? Will this provide a partner for people who can't marry a real person, perhaps leading to a major reduction in the number of real children abused, or will we censor such robots, saying that marrying/ect. such a robot is child molestation (just like we do with drawings)?

I guess it depends on the mind of the robot. If the robot has the same mind as a child then it would be no difference from child abuse. The child is just made of a different material. If the robot isn't conscious then it could be used for this purpose or if the robot has adult consent but had the body of a child and happened to act like a child.

In general, how have people reacted to marrying video game characters? In Japan, it seems there is something of an industry for it, but I doubt Americans would be as accepting. Robots would likely have to fight for any rights they want, and that fight may get very bloody.

You can marry fictional characters in Japan? I would think there is a difference between marrying a character which isn't real and one whose main difference from us is the material its made of. Again depending if the robot is conscious or not.

 

[darknova]

I don't see it as any different than... sexual aids... but it's icky as a complete substitute forever (just my personal opinion as I'm given to like flesh guys). As far as moral, social norms dictate the morality of an idea, so it depends on social norms at the time.

So you wouldn't, but wouldn't mind if others did?

Well, I think it's pretty simple... there are already people who fall in love with objects (there's some kind of name for it, I forget what it is, but like the woman who fell in love and 'married' a roller coaster.) You can call yourself married to whatever or whoever you want and so long as that thing is a consenting person or an inanimate object that could not possibly care, I doubt there will be anything wrong with it. The legal aspects of person-person marriage would not apply to marrying an object/robot though. I'd say that robot-human marriages would be afforded the same rights as traditional marriage when robots are afforded the same rights as people. Which, if it was a sophisticated enough 'true' artificial intelligence, is totally plausible.

I think I agree. Unless the robot is a person it wouldn't be a real marriage.

 

[BlackSabb]

Well, I think it's pretty simple... there are already people who fall in love with objects (there's some kind of name for it, I forget what it is, but like the woman who fell in love and 'married' a roller coaster.)

A rollercoaster? Wow!!! What, didn't her life have enough ups and downs?

 

[Gabe7]

Hi,

It is quite possible that in this century that we will develop artifical intelligence and be able to make robots that look alot like humans.

It is almost certain that some humans will want to marry and have sex with robots, it may even have happened already, but is this moral?

Do you think it will be opposed as much as much as homosexual marriage and sex is? How will religious fundementalists react considering the Bible says nothing about this?

In my opinion it may be easier for society to accept because it could look more 'natural'.

Also attached to this if whether robots would get human rights, which would probably have to be renamed, rights of personhood (or something like that).

Why would someone bother to marry a robot? The gay guys I know aren't scrambling to get married. I suspect people who bang robots will be content to live quietly the way they choose to.

 

[Jade Margery]

Why would someone bother to marry a robot? The gay guys I know aren't scrambling to get married. I suspect people who bang robots will be content to live quietly the way they choose to.

Suspect away, but people want strange things sometimes.

 

[darknova]

Why would someone bother to marry a robot? The gay guys I know aren't scrambling to get married. I suspect people who bang robots will be content to live quietly the way they choose to.

Some gay people do want to marry. If a robot man or woman isn't difference for a human one then might not the average person be able to fall in love with a robot, not just a small minority? If the average person wants to marry then robot marriage would make sense.

 

[JadeTigress]

I watched a little documentary type show in the middle of the night not too long ago, and it was about robot fetishists. They were totally trying to build their own, and shooping pictures so they had robot pr0nz, and one guy had an actual girlfriend. He'd shoop pictures of her to make her look like a robot, and she was cool with his fetish, so they went to a hypnotist so she could be hypnotized and 'become' a robot for him. And so she had her trigger word or whatever, to turn her robot thing on or off.

Those guys definitely would marry robots if it was an option. That topic actually came up, if I recall correctly.

 

[bhaskarbhai2011]

Well, I think it's pretty simple... there are already people who fall in love with objects (there's some kind of name for it, I forget what it is, but like the woman who fell in love and 'married' a roller coaster.) You can call yourself married to whatever or whoever you want and so long as that thing is a consenting person or an inanimate object that could not possibly care, I doubt there will be anything wrong with it. The legal aspects of person-person marriage would not apply to marrying an object/robot though. I'd say that robot-human marriages would be afforded the same rights as traditional marriage when robots are afforded the same rights as people. Which, if it was a sophisticated enough 'true' artificial intelligence, is totally plausible. its nice......................

 

[Traveller and Wiley]

How will religious fundementalists react considering the Bible says nothing about this?

Not sure where you got this idea. The Bible says a great deal about this. In fact, Bethlehem Bible Church (you can find them on itunes) has an excellent ten part series on marriage.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

People will do what they do.
And yes, I figure that if that happens, there will indeed be at least a few "couples" trying to fight for the ability to wed. Not that I think it will get far, but they will try.

Off topic: things like this always remind me of Lenny Kravitz's 'Black Velveteen'...

 

[Umaro]

It's already begun.

Japanese man 'marries' computer game character - Telegraph

 

[Mling]

I guess my feelings depend on what happens with robots in the future. If they reach a point where they actually become people, then they should be treated as such. I generally define "person" as a creature with conscious awareness of their own existence and an emotional life that is deep and complex enough that they are capable of acting in ways that violate their survival-instincts.

I have no idea how that situation could come about, or how we would know if it did (how can you distinguish between another entity having an emotional state vs. an entity being carefully programed to imitate the appearance of having that emotional state?) That said, though, if it somehow happens, I would want the robots to be treated accordingly.

If they remain glorified toasters, then, likewise, they should be treated accordingly.

So, in the first case, I'd say they should be allowed to marry bio-humans or each other and their marriage should be recognized. In the second, people could marry them if they like, but it would be similar to the unrecognized marriages that people occasionally have with animals and inanimate objects.

And I would actively encourage the creation of child sex-bots, if they were appealing enough that it led to people using them instead of attacking real children (assuming, of course, that the robots don't qualify as being people.)

 

[Verv]

The big question will be whether or not robots can achieve free will, or at least a semblance thereof.

Until then, they won't have human rights; they will not be viewed as having 'true emotion.'

You know... This will be something of a great debate in this thread if all goes well...

I will visit this later and grace you with some of my concepts on this one...

I was just too excited and wanted to weigh in a moment on it...

Great thread idea. Brilliant.

 

[wanderingone]

Don't really care, non sentient beings (despite artificially created "emotions") don't need to give consent, feel free to molest the machines.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Hi,

It is quite possible that in this century that we will develop artifical intelligence and be able to make robots that look alot like humans.

It is almost certain that some humans will want to marry and have sex with robots, it may even have happened already, but is this moral?

Do you think it will be opposed as much as much as homosexual marriage and sex is? How will religious fundementalists react considering the Bible says nothing about this?

In my opinion it may be easier for society to accept because it could look more 'natural'.

Also attached to this if whether robots would get human rights, which would probably have to be renamed, rights of personhood (or something like that).

No need to rename just redefine human to include robots.