The Synopsis: Star Trek Episode “The Measure of a Man” deals with the thought that android could have physical and mental properties.
In order to fully understand or evaluate this we have to have a clear understanding of the Mind/Body Problems and solutions. Humans are material objects consisting of physical and mental properties. Physical properties examples are height, weight, color, shape or size and mental properties are awareness, consciousness, feeling, thinking, emotions and senses. The problem arises because these properties interact where intentional or unintentional continuously.
Hasker discusses several mind/body solutions such as idealism, materialism, behaviorism, dualism, and emergentism. Data is an android that was assembled to resemble a human being. In this episode Commander Maddox has orders for Data to transfer to his unit for disassemble with a goal to learn more about him or as Maddox referred to him as “it”, so an arm of androids can serve the Starfleet. Data refuses and has his Captain Picard supporting him.
Maddox’s stand is Data has no rights and his characteristics were developed by man to resemble humans so we can direct him.Hasker talks about Behaviorism which states mental properties are special categories of physical properties. The mind/body solution could be used due to Maddox’ thinking that Data is a physical representation of a dream, conceived in the mind of man. Man collected neural nets and heuristic algorithms to develop the software to complete the android and that man controls it, thus behavior. Captain Picard is Data’s commanding officer and supports his refusal because he feels he has rights. The Mind/Body solution presented is idealism.
Idealism states that physical properties are really properties of ideas, thoughts or sense data which exist in the mind of some person or persons. Picard asked what is sentient being and Maddox explained three criteria: intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness. Data is able to state the hearing is about his rights, status, right to choose and his life. That can be defined as having self-awareness. The only question that presents itself with this solution is consciousness. Hasker’s criteria for a being to be sentient include intelligence, self-awareness and consciousness.
I feel these are adequate basis to start. Other properties or characteristics that could be beneficial are morality, and spirituality. God is our identity and creator that leads us. We have a soul which was created by God that gives us life after death.
The Mind/Body Solutions dualist mentions that it is the most influential because it was developed by Christians. It recognizes God and our soul is involved. Artificial intelligence at the level presented in the story I do not feel will be possible.Yes I do feel android can be programed to perform a certain behavior but having a sense of feelings, thoughts, emotions and a soul that comes with being a human. God has ultimately created us with these characterizes and we are living things.
I do not feel Picard is being irrational because he truly believes Data has rights and he should be allowed to make his decisions regarding his future. Emotions probably come into play because Data is his co-worker even if Picard is the commanding officer. I strongly feel he is supporting an employee of his rights. Given all the evidence presented to JAG I feel they made the right decision.Data presented with thoughts and self-awareness which he could have been programed to do, however because he possessed these qualities of a human being with these traits it supported the decision that he has rights.
Do we have obligations to treat machines “ethically” if A. I. develop? I do not feel machines should be treated ethically. They are machines or devices created by humans and not God. Yes God created humans and in turn we create machines but they programed to work. Humans are a mixture of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, ideas, dreams, spirituality and emotional traits that machines do not possess.
