Bio Ethics and Cybernetics

The other day I wrote about the quest to create new life by combining human genetic material with that of other species. The question is not if this will happen but rather when will it happen and how will it affect humanity in the long run. It is interesting that much of the research is being done in the European Union where there is still tremendous opposition to genetically modified foods. In Europe, it is perfectly acceptable to create human/whatever chimeras but not to sell a disease resistant , genetically modified vegetable seed that could possibly end up in the food chain.

I was musing on the possibilities for potential additions to the human genetic configuration and some of the issues that could arise with the rights of these newly manufactured creatures. Especially if they were created to serve specific purposes such as providing organs and tissue for harvesting. I jokingly commented to a friend about some that might be created for recreational use. I was only slightly serious and we both got a good laugh about an otherwise very serious issue.

Soon after our exchange I read an article that suggests the possibility of marriage to robots becoming legal in a place like Massachusetts in the next fifty years. It also suggests a more limited physical interaction between humans and machines within the next five years. If these developments are considered together, there exists a real possibility for person to purchase their spouse, partner, or lover and have then take whatever form they wish. One could create a human-like exterior with cybernetic and non-human organic internals to meet whatever need was perceived. Some might see this as a great advancement. Suddenly, the movie Bladerunner does not seem as much science fiction as it once did. Seven of Nine could be the next household appliance. We could create armies of robots that could be used to marry, kill or exploit for whatever purpose.

Suppose for a moment that you decide to "marry" your robotic girlfriend. Does the marriage end if you flip the power switch? What if you decide that you want a different model for each day of the week? Would this logic then be applicable to human to human marriages? I guess it says a great deal about society's view of marriage if it could be applied to a machine. My antiquated view of marriage is that it is supposed to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman who are equal partners and are jointly devoted to the well-being of the other. Commitment is a choice and the flip side is that one party can void the agreement at any time Thus both are constantly making a choice to remain together. If you don't run that risk, there is no reward. This is what theologians call free will. Without free will there is no love, no commitment, no freedom. Free will is the answer to many of life's most difficult questions. If you create a machine to service your wants and needs and it is given a choice to meet your needs or its needs what would it choose?

http://www.livescience.com/technology/071012-robot-marriage.html