I read an interesting article in the online E&T (above) that reports of a pledge to not assist in the development of so-called Killer Robots. Should the IET take a stance, be the first PEI to endorse the pledge and furthermore expect/encourage its members to sign up too?
I once worked in defence building what could be described as torpedoes with a large explosive warhead on them or alternatively an underwater vehicle. These 'vehicles' were autonomous and designed to, let us say, search on their own initiative and 'find and identify' a target. The fact that they were in the sea and did not appear Hollywood Terminator-like seeks to blur the image of what is a killer robot and how long they have been around for. Realistically it is up to the United Nations to decree what is globally acceptable in warfare and up to individuals to determine their own ethical stance. A long time ago a chap by the name of Joseph Rotblat gave a most interesting talk at the University of Liverpool about what could be described as ethics in nuclear warfare. He gave up his research on the atomic bomb as part of the Manhatten Project when it was obvious that Germany could not achieve the atom bomb themselves. I suggest he saw the technology as pointless. Perhaps a quote from him will be an acceptable conclusion to this thread. "I saw science as being in harmony with humanity". He remains a hero of scientific ethics and a mentor for us all.
I once worked in defence building what could be described as torpedoes with a large explosive warhead on them or alternatively an underwater vehicle. These 'vehicles' were autonomous and designed to, let us say, search on their own initiative and 'find and identify' a target. The fact that they were in the sea and did not appear Hollywood Terminator-like seeks to blur the image of what is a killer robot and how long they have been around for. Realistically it is up to the United Nations to decree what is globally acceptable in warfare and up to individuals to determine their own ethical stance. A long time ago a chap by the name of Joseph Rotblat gave a most interesting talk at the University of Liverpool about what could be described as ethics in nuclear warfare. He gave up his research on the atomic bomb as part of the Manhatten Project when it was obvious that Germany could not achieve the atom bomb themselves. I suggest he saw the technology as pointless. Perhaps a quote from him will be an acceptable conclusion to this thread. "I saw science as being in harmony with humanity". He remains a hero of scientific ethics and a mentor for us all.
