tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post7045979478774433383..comments2023-10-26T22:06:11.166+11:00Comments on Metamagician3000: Fukuyama on human dignity, revisitedRussell Blackfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-80501422416399571432008-05-21T19:21:00.000+10:002008-05-21T19:21:00.000+10:00Since this thread is rather slow, I hope it is ok ...Since this thread is rather slow, I hope it is ok if I sneak in an off topic post. The Maasai were mentioned in "Same-sex marriages today, polygamous marriages tomorrow?" but that thread is too active. "Ivory: A Legend of Past and Future" by Mike Resnick, is a real page-turner! My view may be a little biased because the hero is an expert researcher who has a computer that is smart, but not too smart. ;-) It does involve dying with dignity and the calls of duty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-60704485187650026732008-05-20T23:56:00.000+10:002008-05-20T23:56:00.000+10:00I look forward to the return of summer when I can ...I look forward to the return of summer when I can lick an ice cream or two in the cause of liberty.<BR/><BR/>Love the quote from Turing.Russell Blackfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-44811574005913567982008-05-20T13:15:00.000+10:002008-05-20T13:15:00.000+10:00I think freedom is a prerequisite to dignity. "An...I think freedom is a prerequisite to dignity. "An unexamined life is not worth living." With freedom one then has the option to learn and earn dignity. I don't think dignity is definable because there is no absolute standard for moral rightness and I don't think whether or not one eats chicken with your fingers is a matter of dignity. I enjoyed reading the various comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-1481177579040765122008-05-20T08:56:00.000+10:002008-05-20T08:56:00.000+10:00In response to this:The theory might be helpful in...In response to this:<BR/><BR/><I>The theory might be helpful in ruling out some kinds of genetic engineering, but again no one much wants to engineer children who are less capable and complex than normal children.</I><BR/><BR/>I couldn't help but think of this:<BR/><BR/><I>It will not be possible to apply exactly the same teaching process to the machine as to a normal child. It will not, for instance, be provided with legs, so that it could not be asked to go out and fill the coal scuttle. Possibly it might not have eyes. But however well these deficiencies might be overcome by clever engineering, one could not send the creature to school with out the other children making excessive fun of it.</I><BR/><BR/>— <A HREF="http://www.abelard.org/turpap/turpap.htm" REL="nofollow">Alan Turing</A><BR/><BR/>And this:<BR/><BR/><I>If you want to know why Turing is such a hero of mine (besides his invention of the Turing machine, his role in winning World War II, and so on), the second passage above contains the answer. Let others debate whether a robotic child would have "qualia" or "aboutness" — Turing is worried that the other kids would make fun of it at school.</I><BR/><BR/>— <A HREF="http://scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=63" REL="nofollow">Scott Aaronson</A>Blake Staceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13977394981287067289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-59867862376453995852008-05-20T08:52:00.000+10:002008-05-20T08:52:00.000+10:00This has nothing in particular to do with Fukuyama...This has nothing in particular to do with Fukuyama or "human dignity", but linking back to November 2006 sent me on a weird nostalgia trip. Remember when Wikipedia's piece on "Transhumanism" became a Featured Article? And how about the time we all realized we were <A HREF="http://metamagician3000.blogspot.com/2007/01/im-bored-with-anti-dawkins-backlash.html" REL="nofollow">bored with the anti-Dawkins backlash</A>? Isn't it just amazing to see how much the world has changed since that day! So many memories. . . .Blake Staceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13977394981287067289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-45650992046913356152008-05-20T02:59:00.000+10:002008-05-20T02:59:00.000+10:00Excellent stuff. I've chimed in with my own discu...Excellent stuff. I've <A HREF="http://badidea.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/more-on-the-pinkerdignity-bioethics-debate-a-reponse-to-patrick-lee-and-robert-george/" REL="nofollow">chimed in with my own discussion of one of the Council's Essays</A>. The concept of "vulnerability" int he sense you use it is something I need to think more about.Badhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07225890125470949454noreply@blogger.com