Androids and the Mind-Body Problem

Androids and the Mind-Body Problem

 In our preparing for the discussion board forum 1 question, we are introduced to Lt. Commander Data who is an extremely advanced android aboard the Starship Enterprise. Data is a unique android who is approached by Commander Bruce Maddox who arrives with orders for Data to be transferred for the purpose of disassembling the android to learn more about “it” and ultimately create an army of androids just like “it”. Data refuses to submit to Commander Maddox’s orders and is supported in this decision by his commanding officer, Captain Picard. Commander Maddox argues that Data is just a machine whose purpose is to serve the humans who created it. Data was not seen as possessing a body and a mind which are both necessary to correspond with Maddox’s view of dualism. Dualism states that human beings have physical and mental properties (Harker, 1983) and Maddox does not believe that Data possesses these properties since it is simply a machine. Maddox goes so far as to list 3 criteria for a being to be sentient: intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness. Considering the advancements of our current technology, these criteria may need to be updated to reflect other properties or characteristics needed to be considered a person such as emotions, language, or culture. Picard sees a flaw in the specified criteria and exploits this weakness by building up the case for Data based on the view of materialism. Materialism states that “the human being is the body, and the body is the person” (Hasker, 1983). Picard argues that because Data is able to exhibit the 3 specified criteria Maddox has given as conditions for a being to be sentient, that Data must be given the right to choose based on those results. This type of logic will only lead to the decline of our species as the intelligent human race. Should artificial intelligence become possible to this degree, it would be wise to think twice about allowing this type of freedom to a machine. Machines may be...

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