Conscious Automata

By Brian Cutcliffe

The single most defining characteristic that separates man from machine is consciousness. Most philosophers propose consciousness as a very specialized, subjective experience that can only exist in the complex and biological system of the brain. But with recent advances in technology, some philosophers, such as Gilbert Ryles and other strict materialist who don't believe in the immaterial mind or soul, have begun arguing that in fact some computers can "think" in a manner similar to humans. It seems apparent that the idea of a conscious robot, or android, may not be as far fetched as it must have sounded when the term robot first appeared in in Karel Capek's 1921 stage play R.U.R. In this first appearance, robots take up arms against their human creators. By no means the norm, however, this theme of opposition between man and his conscious creations, is common, especially in cinema. This portrayal of man vs. machine is so popular in science fiction film and literature, because of the public's basic mistrust of new technology and the very nature of what it means to be conscious, including emotions, free will and self preservation. The American skepticism toward science has a number of sources. Heinlein may have predicted it, but WWII proved the destructive capabilities of science's rapid advance. At the same time as this revelation came a shift in science fiction. The genre began to step away the style of Hugo Gernsback's Ralph 124C 41+ and its blithe adoration of science, to a darker mistrust of science and more specifically, the fear of mechanical intelligence. This fear earned the label "Frankenstein Complex" ; courtesy of Isaac Asimov. Frankenstein represents the first instance, in literature, of man creating an automaton from science, and from this very beginning the creator is at odds with his creation. The monster posses human awareness, intellect, and emotions. In the proper environment may have developed into a morally righteous citizen, however that was not his fate. His first experiences are of pain, abandonment and ostracization from society. Given this experience it is not surprising that he lashes out at one who abandoned him in his time of need. Frankenstein can be viewed as a paradigm for science creating that which it cannot control, because the genesis of the creature created a consciousness that included free will and that will, by its nature, resist control. Terminator, and Terminator 2 play on the theme of resistance to control as well. The US defense computer achieves self awareness spontaneously. Once possessed of its own will, it begins to act out the purpose for which it was created, and launches a preemptive strike against the Soviet Union. Having made this decision on its own, the computer's creators attempt to terminate it. If having self awareness is synonymous with being "alive," it seems only natural that the computer should act to defend itself out of self preservation. The computer developed its own will and this will conflicted with its environment: the human race. Once anything becomes aware it is unavoidable that it will come into conflict with its environment, in this case a conflict orchestrated on the scale of a Hollywood epic. One of Hollywood's less epic science fiction conflicts is the movie Screamers . Once again the androids achieve consciousness on their own. This time however the leap to sentience isn't spontaneous but rather a result of evolution. On a human colony world, torn by a war between companies, a killer robot is designed. Unfortunately, through successive generations, created at an underground factory, the robots begin to evolve. These new generations seek to find a way back to earth to kill all of humanity. According to the movie, the killers finally achieve full consciousness when they break free from their original programming enough to engage in conflict with one another. Another source of fear toward technology, besides its destructive might, is our increasing dependence on it. In Frank Herbert's Dune the hazards of this dependence are clearly manifest. Mentats, human computers, are used instead of computers. The reason for this mistrust of computers is that in the past, humans became so dependent on their machines that the machines took over. Man was forced to destroy them in order to regain its freedom. One of the authors who has earned renown for his stories centered on the interaction between man and conscious machine, is Philip K. Dick. In Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep Dick blurs the line between human and android and places a new angle on the possible relationship between maker and machine. This new relationship is slave and master. Androids are advertised as coming in any style the consumer wishes including body servant and tireless field hand. Dick envisions a world where empathy towards other humans and unaware spiders is essential, however man exploits the conscious, feeling androids without a qualm. Being the creator doesn't entail the responsibility of a parent or God, but rather it gives the right to ruthlessly enslave. However, the androids are feeling thinking beings and attempt to rebel against their servitude. But not all exploited robots rebel. The droids in Star Wars represent an enslaved race as well. The intelligence, loyalty, and feelings of R2D2 and C3PO are demonstrated time a time again. Unfortunately, they are viewed a a servant class without rights. Even the heroes see them this way. Neither Luke nor Obi-wan even react in the slightest when the droids are told to leave the bar because "we don't serve their kind here." When the droids are left in danger on the Death Star, Han jokes about the storm troopers having blasters, and he and Luke run off leaving them. No one even thinks to properly thank a R2D2 after he saves everyone's lives on numerous occasions by setting up smoke screens or fixing hyperdrives. The only difference between the androids in D.A.D.E.S and the droids in Star Wars, is their proximity to human appearance, and the droids seem content with their fate. "Such is our lot in life...we seem to be made to suffer," notes C3PO. Though this may be a far less violent version of human-android interaction it isn't as bright a future as could be possible. Isaac Asimov is one of the few authors to create a utopia from human and machine coexistence. Asimov rejects fear in the face of technological advances: It occurred to me that...there had been people who objected to every single technological advance in man's history, from the introduction of metal and writing, to the development of the airplane. He resolved the problem of conflicting wills and the power of machines through his now famous Three Rules of Robotics: 1.  A robot may not injure a human being nor, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2.  A robot must obey the orders given it by a human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3.  A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second law. This moral code toward humans seems natural and fitting, but robots themselves are still without recourse. Even Asimov, who creates robots alive in every mental definition, accepts implicitly that a human lives are somehow more for being made of organic molecules. Asimov's view is in the minority. The general public is too ready to believe in the destructive powers that science is capable of. They fear the unknown and change. They have seen the dehumanizing effect that an increasingly impersonal technologically advanced society can have. They don't like their own increasing dependence on machines. It comes down to the fact that man may create things, but the things they create have power. They have the power to change the maker. In the case of androids, they call into question what it means to be human. They rob from man the only thing that separates, and therefore protects, him from the powerful objects he creates: reason and consciousness. Science fiction's visions of conscious automata reflect these fears and bring to light these very questions. The very nature of consciousness with its desire to live and will of its own makes the situation of self aware robotics one that could easily lead to conflict, or could remain in the current user tool relationship. If automata ever do acquire res cogitans we all may be in debt to Isaac Asimov for his Robot visions.