There’s one more aspect to that. You are “morally ok” to turn off only your own computer. Messing with other people stuff is “morally bad”. And I don’t think you can “own” self-aware machine more that you can “own” a human being.
So, as long as we’re going down this road: it seems to follow from this that if someone installs, without my permission, a self-aware algorithm on my computer, the computer is no longer mine… it is, rather, an uninvited intruder in my home, consuming my electricity and doing data transfer across my network connection.
So I’ve just had my computer stolen, and I’m having my electricity and bandwidth stolen on an ongoing basis. And maybe it’s playing Jonathan Coulton really loudly on its speakers or otherwise being obnoxious.
But I can’t kick it out without unplugging it, and unplugging it is “morally bad.” So, OK… is it “morally OK” to put it on a battery backup and wheel it to the curb, then let events take their natural course? I’m still out a computer that way, but at least I get my network back. (Or is it “morally bad” to take away the computer’s network access, also?)
More generally, what recourse do I have? Is it “morally OK” for me to move to a different house and shut off the utilities? Am I obligated, on your view, to support this computer to the day I die?
Except we don’t actually believe that most babies have to be supported by their parents in perpetuity… at some point, we consider that the parents have discharged their responsibility and if the no-longer-baby is still incapable of arranging to be fed regularly, it becomes someone else’s problem. (Perhaps its own, perhaps a welfare system of some sort, etc.) Failing to continue to support my 30-year-old son isn’t necessarily seen as a moral failing.
(nods) Hence “most”/”necessarily.” Though I’ll admit, my moral intuitions in those cases are muddled… I’m really not sure what I want to say about them.
Perhaps the computer will eventually become mature enough to support verself, at which point it has no more claim on your resources. Otherwise, ve’s a disabled child and the ethics of that situation applies.
There’s one more aspect to that. You are “morally ok” to turn off only your own computer. Messing with other people stuff is “morally bad”. And I don’t think you can “own” self-aware machine more that you can “own” a human being.
So, as long as we’re going down this road: it seems to follow from this that if someone installs, without my permission, a self-aware algorithm on my computer, the computer is no longer mine… it is, rather, an uninvited intruder in my home, consuming my electricity and doing data transfer across my network connection.
So I’ve just had my computer stolen, and I’m having my electricity and bandwidth stolen on an ongoing basis. And maybe it’s playing Jonathan Coulton really loudly on its speakers or otherwise being obnoxious.
But I can’t kick it out without unplugging it, and unplugging it is “morally bad.” So, OK… is it “morally OK” to put it on a battery backup and wheel it to the curb, then let events take their natural course? I’m still out a computer that way, but at least I get my network back. (Or is it “morally bad” to take away the computer’s network access, also?)
More generally, what recourse do I have? Is it “morally OK” for me to move to a different house and shut off the utilities? Am I obligated, on your view, to support this computer to the day I die?
I consider this scenario analogous to one in which somebody steals your computer and also leaves a baby in a basket on your doormat.
Except we don’t actually believe that most babies have to be supported by their parents in perpetuity… at some point, we consider that the parents have discharged their responsibility and if the no-longer-baby is still incapable of arranging to be fed regularly, it becomes someone else’s problem. (Perhaps its own, perhaps a welfare system of some sort, etc.) Failing to continue to support my 30-year-old son isn’t necessarily seen as a moral failing.
Barring disability.
(nods) Hence “most”/”necessarily.” Though I’ll admit, my moral intuitions in those cases are muddled… I’m really not sure what I want to say about them.
Perhaps the computer will eventually become mature enough to support verself, at which point it has no more claim on your resources. Otherwise, ve’s a disabled child and the ethics of that situation applies.
Well, he will be intruder (in my opinion). Like, “unwanted child” kind of indtruder. It consumes your time, money, and you can’t just throw it away.
Sounds like it pretty much sucks to be me in that scenario.