Murderbot Diaries

1. Think about the intelligence of SecUnit and ART.

   1. How do you think that SecUnit’s intelligence differs from our own?

   2. What about ART?

2. Think about the phenomenological experience of SecUnit and ART.

   1. How do you think that SecUnit’s phenomenological experience differs from our own?

   2. What about ART?

3. Isaac Asimov’s Laws of Robotics are shown below.

   First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

   Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

   Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

   1. The world of Murderbot Diaries has ethical laws for bots and constructs. To your understanding, what are the differences between the ethical laws in the Murderbot Diaries and Asimov’s world?

   2. After the team of PreservationAux see SecUnit’s face and realize that it has emotions and desires, they consider the governor module to enforce a form of slavery. What do you think of this comparison?

   3. In a world where AGI agents exist, do you think that they should be subject to either of these ethical systems? One possible alternative is that they be given fully the same rights as humans with the ability to commit crimes and suffer human-like consequences.

   4. Thinking back to The Lifecycle of Software Objects and A Ghost in the Shell and including Murderbot Diaries, how do these sci-fi depictions of AGI differ or comply with your expectations of AGI?

4. Do you have any questions that you want to discuss in class?