Paper Topic:

Commander Data in the film Star Trek and Artificial Intelligence

[Teacher 's Name]

[Course Number]

6 May 2010

Artificial Intelligence and Commander Data

The computer 's processing capabilities , which are increasing exponentially , has opened the door to the possibility of a machine becoming self-aware . The important question is not whether this is technically feasible , but the many philosophical problems regarding the mind that arise if it does happen . If computer with processes and complexity that are comparable to the human brain attains self-awareness , how would we differentiate ourselves from machines Does the means by which consciousness is achieved , whether

biological or electromechanical , become a defining property of consciousness ? How could we justify a claim that the human mind is a legitimate consciousness , but a machine , with functions that correspond to every neurological process and match the brain 's power in every way , is not If we concede that consciousness has emerged from a computer /machine , if this does happen , how would this affect the way we see our minds ? Would these genuinely self-aware computers be granted the same rights as humans ? Would it be murder to pull the plug on such an entity ? We could seriously ask the question : Are we ourselves machines created by an intelligence in the same way we have made a computer with a consciousness ' These questions are only the tip of the iceberg and they will be philosophy 's and humanities ' most difficult to grapple with if a sentient android is realized . In Star Trek : The Next Generation Commander Data is one of the characters...

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