Eric James Stone's Blog, page 11

Voting Rights and Reproductive Rights for Artificial Intelligences

Let’s posit that at some point, we develop self-aware artificial intelligences that are at least as capable as humans (by whatever criteria is generally agreed upon.)  We could use the character of Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation as an example of the level of intelligence and self-awareness. I think the general consensus among science fiction fans is that such an AI should probably be considered a “person” and should have rights, rather than just being property.

I tend to agree with that consensus, but I’ve run into some potential problems with granting human-equivalent rights to AIs.

Imagine that AIs are considered persons under U.S. law, with rights equal to those of a natural-born citizen (if the AI was originally turned on in the U.S.).  So, after being “alive” for eighteen years, an AI could register to vote in elections.  And at age thirty-five, an AI would be eligible to become President.

At least since the Civil Rights era, American courts have not looked kindly on laws restricting the right of certain categories of people to reproduce. A law restricting the number of children someone could have based on their race would (rightly) be considered anathema.  So laws limiting the reproductive rights of AIs would be unconstitutional.

What if an ambitious seventeen-year-old AI decided it really, really wanted to be president, so it created 250,000,000 copies of itself — each of which would be considered a person. Eighteen years later, the original AI is old enough to become President, and the 250,000,000 copies (which will have diverged somewhat based on their experiences, but still have similar personalities) will be old enough to register to vote.  The AI wins the election even if all the eligible human beings vote against it.

That’s an extreme case, obviously.  Other AIs might spawn in huge numbers to vote against that ambitious one.

But the point is this: combining the right to vote with the right to essentially unlimited reproduction for AIs means making humans an irrelevant minority in the United States.

I’m not sure that “I, for one, welcome our new AI President” is the right response.

The main problem is that our Constitution and laws were not set up to deal with artificial intelligences.  To some degree they were set up granting rights to white landowning males, and since then we have several precedents of extending those rights to other persons.  But when dealing with a truly unprecedented kind of “person,” should such precedents necessarily be followed?

Tweets for the week of 07-28-2012

@pattyjansen If you're honest about it, sure. in reply to pattyjansen 07:07:12, 2012-07-28
Blog post: http://t.co/VymM0mKR – Tweets for the week of 07-21-2012 23:59:55, 2012-07-28
Hey, my number of tweets is equal to my birth year! (Now that I've tweeted this, that is.) 08:29:50, 2012-07-31
RT @IzykStewart: Jacob's Journal of Doom release party tonight at University Village Deseret Book from 6-7:30. Hope to see you there! ht … 13:05:11, 2012-07-31
I hope the Chili's CEO says something to spark a boycott, because I need an excuse to go have their Molten Chocolate Cake. 17:31:54, 2012-08-01
@shaunduke Yes, you got the correct handle. in reply to shaunduke 17:38:33, 2012-08-01
@JayceHall No, the whole point is that calories eaten in 1st Amendment solidarity are MEANINGFUL calories, as opposed to empty calories. in reply to JayceHall 17:49:33, 2012-08-01
@AShvartsman Food with opinions is a little too sapient (and alive) for my taste. (Reminds me The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.) in reply to AShvartsman 17:52:33, 2012-08-01
@TheDanWells Thanks for the heads-up. I was about to bet my bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'd be sun. in reply to TheDanWells 16:14:28, 2012-08-02
@johnjosephadams Montreal in 2009 had Sunday Hugos. I had to reschedule my flights. in reply to johnjosephadams 21:02:37, 2012-08-02
@Matthewsrotundo Your legs encounter less resistance from the thinner air at higher elevations. in reply to Matthewsrotundo 22:15:41, 2012-08-02
@Matthewsrotundo You also weigh less because you're farther from the Earth's center of mass. in reply to Matthewsrotundo 22:16:12, 2012-08-02
@Matthewsrotundo The official meter is in Paris. The farther from Paris, the smaller it looks. Laramie is farther than Omaha, so 5K is less. in reply to Matthewsrotundo 22:24:56, 2012-08-02
RT @Travesham: Average # of people killed in mass shooting when killer stopped by police: 14.3. When stopped by a citizen: 2.3. http://t … 15:25:42, 2012-08-03

Tweets for the week of 07-21-2012

Blog post: http://t.co/YUiTidL3 – Tweets for the week of 07-14-2012 00:00:43, 2012-07-22
@aliettedb Military weapon is fully automatic. Civilian version is semiautomatic. Its only difference from many hunting rifles is aesthetic. in reply to aliettedb 15:00:29, 2012-07-22
@MaryRobinette @aliettedb It's not meant to be reassuring, except to the extent that the average person can't buy a fully automatic gun. in reply to MaryRobinette 15:18:13, 2012-07-22
@MaryRobinette @aliettedb But objecting to the aesthetics of a gun, rather than its capabilities, isn't all that useful. in reply to MaryRobinette 15:20:17, 2012-07-22
@omegar24 @aliettedb @MaryRobinette I don't hunt, so I don't know. I don't drink, either, so I don't see why some people need alcohol. in reply to omegar24 19:40:57, 2012-07-22
I just ran 2.5 miles despite still being very sore from 8-mile hike on Saturday — and boy are my arms tired. #WrongPunchline 08:16:01, 2012-07-23
@aliettedb @omegar24 @MaryRobinette "…favourite French and southern European hunter guns are the semi auto." http://t.co/RPuH5DGL in reply to aliettedb 08:47:10, 2012-07-23
@aliettedb @omegar24 @MaryRobinette Just to be clear, you understand that "semi-auto" means the gun fires just once for each trigger pull. in reply to aliettedb 08:49:42, 2012-07-23
@aliettedb @omegar24 @MaryRobinette Fully automatic weapons are those where you can hold the trigger to keep firing. Those are banned. in reply to aliettedb 08:51:13, 2012-07-23
@NewroticGirl It's a simple game. Roc (2 fingers = beak) eats Ham (flat hand = slice), Ham chokes Beau (fist = human head), Beau rides Roc. in reply to NewroticGirl 17:44:55, 2012-07-23
@clarkesworld Break a leg! in reply to clarkesworld 17:49:18, 2012-07-23
Thanks to generous donors, you can win free tickets to the Four Centuries of Mormon Stories dinner: http://t.co/5wbNCxYe 11:44:20, 2012-07-24
@RandyTayler I think you left out a couple of ZEROS there. I can't be bribed for anything less than two WW2-era fighter planes. in reply to RandyTayler 14:40:05, 2012-07-25
@RandyTayler Well, IGMS head editor Edmund Schubert is partial to Antarctic wildfowl: http://t.co/Z0kmgWNS in reply to RandyTayler 00:04:14, 2012-07-26
RT @ferretthimself: Very interesting article by @ericmjohnson on what primates can teach us about America's murder problem. http://t.co/ … 14:59:26, 2012-07-26
@TheSlothNCamel Is it bigger than a breadbox? in reply to TheSlothNCamel 19:46:45, 2012-07-26
@KenJennings Shift focus to make it a romantic comedy & change title to "Diamond Czar: A Girl's Best Friend." in reply to KenJennings 07:18:57, 2012-07-27
@IzykStewart It's no coincidence. It's meant to warn you that winter is coming. After fall. And the rest of summer. in reply to IzykStewart 09:33:53, 2012-07-27

Tweets for the week of 07-14-2012

@chersti Since it's all seven seasons in one box, it's probably easier for me to just lend you the whole series at once. in reply to chersti 12:59:24, 2012-07-14
Blog post: http://t.co/KHudtcfg – Tweets for the week of 07-07-2012 23:59:38, 2012-07-14
Doesn't the idea of equal pay for equal work conflict with unions' support of seniority-based pay w/o regard for job performance? 21:35:04, 2012-07-15
If you're a spy with a vital piece of intel, don't call to set up a meet to tell someone. Just tell them over the phone. 23:52:04, 2012-07-15
Blog post: http://t.co/v8yCVOt1 – Four Centuries of Mormon Stories Contest Fundraiser 11:04:57, 2012-07-16
@marionjensen @AnnetteLyon Because it should be "If one of you IS willing." But I agree that "If two of you're willing" would be wrong. in reply to marionjensen 11:48:20, 2012-07-17
@marionjensen @AnnetteLyon The reason it's wrong is b/c in the first case, "you" is a subject of the verb "are," so "you're" sounds fine. in reply to marionjensen 11:49:55, 2012-07-17
@marionjensen @AnnetteLyon In the second case, "you" is the object of the preposition "of," while the subject of the verb is "two." in reply to marionjensen 11:50:53, 2012-07-17
@robisonwells @metteharrison Authenticity: once you learn to fake that, the sky's the limit. in reply to robisonwells 15:20:50, 2012-07-17
I'm a little annoyed that the government hasn't yet picked me to become a billionaire entrepreneur. 08:10:03, 2012-07-18
@amysundberg Just don't wear any steel-toed boots, or you'll have trouble getting your feet out. in reply to amysundberg 13:29:19, 2012-07-18
My latest post on the Association for Mormon Letters blog is "A Bucketload of Felgercarb." http://t.co/xgGUD2H5 #TitleMayBeAccurate 19:14:25, 2012-07-18
Those who want to see Obama's birth certificate are "Birthers." Those who want to see Romney's tax returns are "Taxers." #AccurateLabeling 07:23:29, 2012-07-20
@TheSlothNCamel That's good to know. We don't want our country overrun with illegal midgets. in reply to TheSlothNCamel 16:08:03, 2012-07-20

Four Centuries of Mormon Stories Contest Fundraiser

I’ve mentioned before Everyday Mormon Writer is running a contest on the theme of “Four Centuries of Mormon Stories.”  If you’re familiar with the fact that Mormons have only been around since 1830, you might be wondering how they get to four centuries.  The explanation is quite simple:

What has Mormon life looked like over the past two hundred years–and what will it look like over the next two hundred?

This summer we’ll be running a contest for very short stories and artworks depicting Latter-day Saints in the 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd centuries. The more prize money we raise, the more submissions we’re likely to receive. In October, we’ll publish the finalists here at Everyday Mormon Writer and have an audience vote for winners.

As a fundraiser for the contest, they are having a dinner on July 28 with a special guest: little old moi.  There are only four tickets left, so buy now to ensure your spot.  As an additional incentive beyond the homemade Indian food at the Goldbergs’ residence and the pleasure of my company, if you attend you will receive a free book or magazine with one of my stories in it. (I may even let you touch my Nebula Award.)

Tweets for the week of 07-07-2012

@AnnetteLyon @jaredgarrett NOOOOOO! Unless he is on his back laying eggs or something, it is never "he lays on his back." in reply to AnnetteLyon 16:31:46, 2012-07-07
@AnnetteLyon @jaredgarrett Present tense "lies on his back/is lying on his back." Past tense "lay on his back/was lying on his back." in reply to AnnetteLyon 16:33:00, 2012-07-07
@AnnetteLyon @jaredgarrett The other verb has a present tense of "lay": The hen lays/is laying eggs. Past: The hen laid/was laying eggs. in reply to AnnetteLyon 16:34:09, 2012-07-07
RT @alan_tudyk: Watching Firefly through for first time in 10 years. I have forgotten so much, it's like new to me. I can't recall anyth … 16:37:10, 2012-07-07
110 times as many people saw Snow White & the Huntsman on opening weekend as voted for John Huntsman in the GOP primaries. 18:35:45, 2012-07-07
Blog post: http://t.co/S5MYDf2E – Tweets for the week of 06-30-2012 23:59:23, 2012-07-07
One of my favorite picture books is now in paperback for just $6.99: AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First by @AletheaKontis http://t.co/OcxIf6lB 11:42:20, 2012-07-10
"Mr. Romney has a 100% chance of winning Utah’s six electoral votes…. And that seems low." http://t.co/ROE5pt3S 15:10:36, 2012-07-10
@jaredgarrett Dear Agent: You can't understand my dystopian novel unless I explain it slowly, with many words. Request the full. Yours, etc. in reply to jaredgarrett 17:37:53, 2012-07-10
@TheDanWells @howardtayler @robisonwells Humans are tribal. Sports fandoms are just another tribal structure. #LessHarmfulThanPolitics in reply to TheDanWells 17:53:21, 2012-07-10
@howardtayler Sports rivalries entertain some people. Some might argue webcomics aren't valuable, important, or commendable. I like both. in reply to howardtayler 21:48:34, 2012-07-10
Nothing quite like a blood drive to remind me that I may die a horrible death because I lived in England 20 years ago. #IAmNotAMadCow 09:57:28, 2012-07-11
@zeppelin707 If only we could get bacteria to eat mad cows. Or would that actually lead to worse things? in reply to zeppelin707 10:56:29, 2012-07-11
@howardtayler My dad's had skin cancer several times. But it's probably his chronic leukemia that will get him in the end. in reply to howardtayler 11:32:09, 2012-07-11
The most likely cause of death for the average person is being struck by a falling piano, if they don't die of something else first. 11:39:20, 2012-07-11
@marionjensen I'm happy with Mountain America Credit Union, Utah's Most Admired Company: http://t.co/lwms4vaI in reply to marionjensen 17:55:56, 2012-07-11
RT @IMAO_: It's bad optics how Romney is always seen carrying canvas sacks with large dollar signs on them. And what's the monocle for? 16:07:02, 2012-07-12
@chersti I have the entire series on DVD. in reply to chersti 16:31:04, 2012-07-12
@seanmarkey By "literally 102" you must mean it's 102 in some figurative way, not that it's actually 102. #NobodyUsesLiterallyThatWayAnymore in reply to seanmarkey 18:22:00, 2012-07-12
@seanmarkey Now we just need to get people to use "figuratively" to mean what "literally" used to. in reply to seanmarkey 19:00:39, 2012-07-12
If you accidentally put ice cream in the fridge instead of the freezer, you have to eat the softened ice cream right away. It's the law. 23:51:49, 2012-07-12
@Keffy @bethwodzinski On first reading your tweet I was wondering why an evil tyranny would be a surprise. #WhatADifferenceOneLetterMakes in reply to bethwodzinski 12:43:06, 2012-07-13
RT @torforgeauthors: Should writers shy away from mentioning skin color? http://t.co/Fjf3laml (via @RobertJSawyer) 17:41:56, 2012-07-13

Tweets for the week of 06-30-2012

Blog post: http://t.co/IrJotzMm – Tweets for the week of 06-23-2012 23:59:21, 2012-06-30
Finally listened to hilarious April 1 Writing Excuses by @BrandSanderson, @TheDanWells, @howardtayler & @MaryRobinette http://t.co/Zekm0ITA 20:10:33, 2012-07-01
@MaryRobinette I meant your presentation of the advice was amusing. Why would you think I doubt the seriousness of the 4/1 episode's advice? in reply to MaryRobinette 12:32:32, 2012-07-02
It's pretty sad that Gmail's spam filter thought a legitimate receipt from Google's app store was spam. 23:00:09, 2012-07-02
So all this talk of "dinosaurs" is really just about giant wingless toothed birds from long ago. http://t.co/n9ZDNu5i 17:14:07, 2012-07-03
About to run 5K in the Provo Freedom Run. 06:51:33, 2012-07-04
Ran 5K in under 32 minutes. 08:02:18, 2012-07-04
Official time on 5K: 30 min 59.86 sec. 08:09:36, 2012-07-04
Blog post: http://t.co/9pWA552D – Ask Orson Scott Card about Ender's Game 08:06:56, 2012-07-05
@aliettedb Well, was it? Inquiring minds want to know. in reply to aliettedb 15:33:20, 2012-07-05
@tchernabyelo @aliettedb If the friend's name is on the FBI's most wanted list, affirming it's not fake would have some denouncefulness. in reply to tchernabyelo 15:40:02, 2012-07-05
We promise, the chicken did not eat any meat or animal products. http://t.co/fE4CM6vO 19:09:42, 2012-07-05
I dreamed that on the #Sherlock series, Moriarty was just a pawn of the real evil mastermind playing mind games with Sherlock: Dr. Watson. 07:31:01, 2012-07-06
Free for Kindle: InterGalactic Medicine Show Awards Anthology #1, with stories by me & others http://t.co/gkjlKP2B 14:38:54, 2012-07-06
@aliettedb @braak James Maxey's short story "To Know All Things That Are in the Earth" involves killing angels in post-Rapture USA. in reply to aliettedb 15:33:52, 2012-07-06

Ask Orson Scott Card about Ender’s Game

I’ve been asked to contribute an essay about Ender’s Game for an anthology from Smart Pop Books: Ender’s World. And you have a chance to be part of this book, too, by asking Orson Scott Card a question about Ender’s Game.  The deadline is July 7, so you need to come up with your question over the next couple of days. Go here to post your question.

I’m really looking forward to reading this book.  I know my friends Mary Robinette Kowal and Ken Scholes have essays in it as well, but I don’t know the full table of contents yet.  For more details about the book, click here.

Tweets for the week of 06-23-2012

Blog post: http://t.co/FSVfdrF1 – Tweets for the week of 06-16-2012 23:59:15, 2012-06-23
@AShvartsman @aliettedb @pattyjansen I don't think it's as simple as Patty said. Who is addressing the teacher? How old is the teacher? in reply to AShvartsman 08:21:42, 2012-06-24
@AShvartsman @aliettedb @pattyjansen For example, in some places, a student might say "Ma'am," but someone older than the teacher "Miss." 08:23:25, 2012-06-24
@aliettedb @AShvartsman @pattyjansen "Ms. Surname" or "Miss/Mrs. Surname" are most likely, IMO. Regionally, "Ma'am" might be used. in reply to aliettedb 08:25:51, 2012-06-24
@amberdine Then I pity Zaphod Beeblebrox when he tries to listen to his iPod. in reply to amberdine 17:53:28, 2012-06-25
voted in Utah's Republican primary. 07:45:57, 2012-06-26
Before giving the government power over something, imagine the worst-case scenario of your political opponents using that power. 13:24:30, 2012-06-26
@Keffy @ferretthimself Huh. Guess I haven't been in the right places to hear such ridiculous definitions. I love to read & write both. in reply to Keffy 18:03:09, 2012-06-26
@ferretthimself Well, to be fair, there were more lions in the past. http://t.co/3ClDxJ7D in reply to ferretthimself 18:11:16, 2012-06-26
Blog post: http://t.co/1e5O5yFB – Lucky 7 Challenge 19:16:08, 2012-06-26
RT @RandyTayler: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" is exactly the kind of thing I'd say if I was trying to unload a vampire horse. 22:48:01, 2012-06-26
@bethwodzinski http://t.co/20ETVLxA in reply to bethwodzinski 22:56:28, 2012-06-26
@NewroticGirl Now you need to watch the same movie twice in a row at the theater. I did with TRUE LIES years ago on the sneak preview night. in reply to NewroticGirl 23:54:31, 2012-06-26
"If we can just find some way to stick together, we can form the perfect society!" — dialog from GLUETOPIA, a #storyiamnotwriting 10:51:40, 2012-06-27
@ferretthimself If there's no simple distinction between right and wrong, how do you know they're doing wrong? in reply to ferretthimself 15:50:19, 2012-06-27
@jaredgarrett @RandyTayler @marionjensen @jessdaygeorge Randy's right about The Incredibles. @TheDanWells's website poll agrees. in reply to jaredgarrett 15:53:51, 2012-06-27
@ferretthimself Touché. Though I think a lot of wrong is done by those who rationalize that their actions are in a gray area. in reply to ferretthimself 15:56:04, 2012-06-27
@jaredgarrett @RandyTayler @marionjensen @jessdaygeorge @TheDanWells Pixar's not creating films for Vulcans. in reply to jaredgarrett 16:11:32, 2012-06-27
@jdedman4 That is the decision that causes the most work for them. Without it, being a Supreme Court justice would be an easier gig. in reply to jdedman4 07:15:10, 2012-06-28
Anyone else have to keep logging out of @iTunesMusic store and then back in to make iTunes Match work? 10:16:41, 2012-06-28
@jjcreer I disagree with your tweet about Obamacare (unless you agree with me about it.) in reply to jjcreer 17:14:01, 2012-06-28
RT @mqpolitics: Obamacare – By Grabthar's hammer, by the sons of Worvan, you shall be repealed. 17:15:13, 2012-06-28
Blog post: http://t.co/ffqHk0j9 – Read "Dark Roads for the Eternal Ruler" 07:08:55, 2012-06-29

Read “Dark Roads for the Eternal Ruler”

My story “Dark Roads for the Eternal Ruler” is now available on Daily Science Fiction‘s website. If you enjoy reading it, please consider giving it a “Rocket Dragon Rating” at the bottom of the story and “liking” it on Facebook.  If you don’t enjoy reading it, forget I said anything.