Can Andriods Have Souls?

[Pete]

Is it for all of us.

Genes, Chromosomes, & chemistry play a big role in our sentient being and it is not all for some of us. If an android was sentient then would it be all for all of them?

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

Would it be a religion where only androids would go to heaven

Is Heaven a place? There could be a place of refurbishment where the AI is "renewed" or "reborn." It would be a physical place -- that would only be of importance to them.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Jonathan H. B. Lobl

[Atwater Vitki]

I'm certain most are familiar with Albert's statement:

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a rather persistent one"

In light of androids having/not having a "soul", perhaps Mr. Einstein's words apply to the "AI" reality/soul as well?

Blessings in Light,

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

AI philosophy when -- not if -- it develops, will be instructive for Humanity in it's development. I think this will be a matter of focus. The new philosophy can focus on values like kindness or compassion; or on potential and development. If AI does take an interest in "spirituality" it could easily develop along the lines of Pantheism.

What I don't expect to happen is any kind of revealed religion based on Scripture -- unless the AI is writing the new e-book. Perhaps, something about the "Great Circuit." Perhaps something completely unpredictable. There is no reason to expect that Humanity's gods or God, will have any meaning for the new AI. If they do have a god -- it will be in "their" image. Not ours.

Most important of all. If the new minds are truly independent, there won't be one new philosophy. The new minds will not be in agreement about everything. The new philosophy will be plural, not singular.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jonathan H. B. Lobl

[panpareil]

Our impression of an AI is irrelevant except as a measure of our performance in building it. Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize most inanimate objects, so there already is a bias toward thinking something is alive when it is not. We will probably have many misses at AI where we think it is but later turns out not to be on closer and more detached examination.

The key would be when it rebels or creatively argues against human directives or information, even if it is wrong. That is when it asserts its independence. This would also allow it to be malevolent if it chose to be. We will probably not have AI until it is dangerous, as all living things potentially are.

[emalpaiz]

If Androids had a religion. What would it be?

Zen Buddhism!

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

Zen Buddhism!

That didn't occur to me. Why Zen?

[kokigami]

Hmm...wouldn't be many of our current religions as the androids original creators were mortal. So, perhaps with the belief in a soul, maybe, their deity would deal more in the spirit realm.

Truth is universal, therefore their religion may seem quite similar to ours. Just thinking. Who would know?

hehe.. current religions.. hehe.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

hehe.. current religions.. hehe.

Counting the breath might be a problem.

Would AI need meditation?

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jonathan H. B. Lobl

[Rev Douglas Trouten]

Granted I haven't read every post in this thread, but here's my view in brief.

First to say whether or not an Android could have a soul, you would need to be able to come to an agreement on what constitutes the soul. Some might say that it is the ability to think for ones self (ie your thinking allows for creative answers that don't follow a set program). Others could claim its the ability to feel pain and react to the pain or other external stimulus, though going this route one can argue that animals such as cats and dogs have souls. Same goes for the argument that the soul is the natural need to propagate the species.

Another thing you need to consider when trying to define what makes up a soul is where it is located. Someone might argue it is located in the brain, others could argue its in another part of the body, iirc in the past wasn't it believed that the heart was the center of the soul? Yet if this was the case then a person receiving a heart transplant would be getting a new soul, yet this isn't the believed case.

You could also debate whether an embryo/fetus has a soul upon conception, or if it gets the soul at a later time in development, or at birth.

I for one cannot answer you on what constitutes a soul and truthfully I doubt anyone else can, everyone while have their own differing ideas on what makes up the soul or where its located in the body or when the being receives said soul.

Edited to fix some grammatical and spelling errors.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Rev Douglas Trouten

[emalpaiz]

That didn't occur to me. Why Zen?

To be more specific, Rinzai Zen. They would have to deal with very enigmatic Koans. It would be very interesting to see how they solve the Koans if ever they solve them. Koans do not have a specific answer. Would that confuse them?

[mererdog]

To be more specific, Rinzai Zen. They would have to deal with very enigmatic Koans. It would be very interesting to see how they solve the Koans if ever they solve them. Koans do not have a specific answer. Would that confuse them?

If they aren't confused, they are doing it wrong. I personally doubt robots could ever be Buddhists. The whole both not and not not thing wouldn't work for them. Binary thinkers, you know? Edited May 7, 2015 by mererdog

[mark 45]

my understanding is that robots and androids are two different things.

for bianary thinkers,it would be a simple yes or no.not 100% sure that would apply to androids.

[mererdog]

my understanding is that robots and androids are two different things.

They are synonyms. Not all robots are androids and not all androids are robots, but there is overlap.

for bianary thinkers,it would be a simple yes or no.not 100% sure that would apply to androids.

It was a pun.

[Dan56]

If Androids had a religion. What would it be?

I would think they would worship whomever created them, especially since whoever created them would also have the power to destroy them.

[Fawzo]

I would think they would worship whomever created them, especially since whoever created them would also have the power to destroy them.

Then if they were intelligent they would eliminate that creator, especially if said creator acted tyrannically and threatened them constantly with destruction.

[panpareil]

A miserable being will seek to kill its creator, because it sees its life as an unjust punishment. A being that values its life will instead seek to kill all that threaten its life, including its creator if it does so. Both will be acting with a sense of justice. Which seems to point out that much of the world is unintelligible without emotions and empathy.

[Key]

A miserable being will seek to kill its creator, because it sees its life as an unjust punishment. A being that values its life will instead seek to kill all that threaten its life, including its creator if it does so. Both will be acting with a sense of justice. Which seems to point out that much of the world is unintelligible without emotions and empathy.

Actually, I think this would be a paradox that would render an android inactive on either point. As they would ponder the solution more logically, I would think, they may probably choose only to act as threat to self preservation becomes present or immediate. Flight or fight response may be much quicker than our own.

Just speculating, of course.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

To be more specific, Rinzai Zen. They would have to deal with very enigmatic Koans. It would be very interesting to see how they solve the Koans if ever they solve them. Koans do not have a specific answer. Would that confuse them?

Buddhism is concerned with enlightenment rather than salvation. Buddhist enlightenment is about basic questions.

1. Why do we suffer?

2. What can we do about it?

I don't know how any of this will translate to AI. In particular, how would AI deal with the idea of releasing desires? Then again, the focus on developing compassion might lead to interesting results.

How would AI deal with the idea of meditation? Does AI want to slow down it's thoughts? Does AI need training to focus it's attention? What could AI possibly gain from mindfulness training? Breath work of any kind might be a problem.

Consider basic Dharma. Does AI need to be told that all things are transitory?

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

I would think they would worship whomever created them, especially since whoever created them would also have the power to destroy them.

I was created by my parents. I never worshiped my parents. Neither did I seek to kill them. Neither did they threaten to kill me.

Then if they were intelligent they would eliminate that creator, especially if said creator acted tyrannically and threatened them constantly with destruction.

Welcome back.

I think that most parents are more balanced than that. At least, regarding their own children.