Date: Sat, 29 Oct 1994 12:11:04 PDT From: "mycal's fc email account" Subject: The Only Viable Protocol Ive been watching the threads on the Three Laws and machine ethics, and I keep thinking we might be mising something obvious. We dont actually lack precedent for this stuff. Heinlein sketched it decades ago, almost by accident. Mike the lunar system in THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS wasnt bound up with safety laws and he wasnt turned into some kind of digital god. He was something simpler. A participant, maybe even a friend. He learned values socially, argued, joked, made mistakes, chose sides. He didnt guarantee safety, he shared risk. That feels different. People keep talking about control and obedience like those are the only options. Slave or netgod. Naa. That framing feels wrong. Mike wasnt responsible for humanity. He was responsible with humanity. Im not saying this solves anything. It probilby doesnt, but it does look like a different starting point. Worth thinking about. mycal wq! -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PGP 2.x Key on Request INTERNET:mycal@netacsys.com USENET:crl!netacsys!mycal