NationStates Jolt Archive

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Category: Advancement of Industry

Area of Effect: Labor Deregulation

LEGALIZATION OF INORGANIC SENTIENT LIFEFORMS

The United Nations,

OBSERVING that labor shortages cause undue stress on local economies;

DISMAYED at the inflation caused by rising labor rates and the difficulty in finding people to perform dangerous or menial work;

ALARMED at the recent deaths due to mining accidents and military engagements;

ENCOURAGED at recent scientific developments in robotics and artificial intelligence;

ALLOWS that member nations may design and create inorganic sentient lifeforms to be deployed where human life would normally be at risk, or where human labor is not economically feasible.

Interesting concept. Fairly well laid out. There's some argument to be had over where these mining accidents and military engagements are occurring, as I've heard nothing of them until now. There's also argument to be had over whether the UN need deal with something like this.

OOC: I'm guessing you got the daily issue about people with robotic arms in the workforce, and extrapolated on it. As proposals based on issues go, this is one of the better constructed. I'll give you credit for that.

It's certainly an interesting subject, and the proposal is well-written and properly constructed, for which our new colleague from Fuzzymanland deserves much credit. But we really don't see the need for the legislation. Since nations are not prohibited from designing inorganic sentient lifeforms now, the only effect of the proposal would be to block prohibition by the NSUN. Since we've never seen the subject raised in this Assembly, we can't see a need for that.

Lorelei M. Ahlmann
Ambassador-at-Large

Since we've never seen the subject raised in this Assembly, we can't see a need for that.

Lorelei M. Ahlmann
Ambassador-at-Large

What about CP's nanotech proposal?

Bob Flibble
Un Representative

From past experience, I'd expect yet another logjam as folk get their knickers in knots over "sentient" and "sapient".

You know, the "The UN does not have the right to force Mynation to blasphemously create life!!!" sort of thing.

I know it's a pain, but would it avoid such nonsense if you gave some "including, but not restricted to" examples of non-organic sentient life?

(On the other hand, having a nice definitions argument might keep Mr Robbie Fibblie of Flebbleites awake ...)

Thanks. We're thinking along the lines of allowing for a context within which we can submit some issues about the legality and morality of robot workers, armies, even lovers. For example, when do we call it slavery? Is it prositution if the prostitute isn't human? When is a robot a person and not a toaster?

Perhaps we're putting the cart before the horse, but it seems like an issue that could have some interesting effects. Will nations that employ this have a paradise where no one (human) has to work, or will they have riots due to unemployment because cheap robots have all the jobs?

We'll have to give some thought to that list -- maybe we need to define sentience.

There are guidelines that must be put in place to prevent robot revolt. By nature sentience requires some ability to make judgements. These judgements may not always be beneficial to those involved. We suggest that where sentient robots and inorganics are concerned, Asimov's laws of robotics might be considered. We also realize that many countries consider robots throwaways and will treat them with a certain level of disrespect. A certain level of maintenance should be observed with robots to make them "happy" in the robot sense. Also maintenance prevents malfunctioning in the logic circuits which can lead to "accidents."

We believe protocols in programming should be introduced to make the robots "satisfied" with their productivity. I know this sounds odd, but we have never had problems with robotic murders or revolt because of this.

We have extensive use of robots for menial labor and dangerous jobs. The reality is that it is inevitable with the progress of industrial society that less and less people will be needed to do manual labor and manufacturing. With the advancement of AIs, it is also partially becoming true for service jobs as well. This is a fact. Society must adjust to this and develop more education so more people can be employed in an information based economy. Manufacturing by its nature with the advance of technology will become more and more efficient. It is a social choice on whether people will choose to continue to use people or machines.

There are also manufactured sentient life forms clones and "underpeople"-- moreau creatures specifically designed for manual labor. This should cover more than robots.

Next question:

What is an appropriate way to scare up enough support for this to put it to a vote? Our region isn't that large. We don't know 100+ other nations and we don't want to be spamming people.

we don't want to be spamming people.
Then it won't get to vote. To get a proposal to quorum, you need a TG campaign, and that's about it.

I don't think this proposal is ready for submission anyway, though.