Proving What We Already "Know"

[bennyboy]

Right, even in solip-world, the single real thing continues acting the way it always has - boilerplate stuff.  

You certainly don't have to believe "seems like, therefore like".  We know it's not a rule.  We're aware of things that seem one way to us but are actually some other way.  The central question raised by the vicitim machine example remains unanswered, however.  If it's a poor reason to grant a hypothetical machine rights then, would it not also be a poor reason to grant an animal rights now?  

As I said with the acquaintance and then appreciation of black people, then the same goes for animals, at least warm-blooded ones. Most of us with pets would go to pretty great lengths to prevent them from suffering the same fate that say an industrial milk cow does. But what's the essential difference, really? Mainly just familiarity.

And yes, I suspect that we WILL follow this same path with AI entities-- familiarity with the "personality" will lead us to appreciate, comfort, and then an instinct to protect. The difference is that the AI will be almost perfectly-honed. You think a puppy is cute? Wait until the full force of an AI trained to elecit emotions is unleashed. I suspect it will spawn a religion, or will lead people to death. "For Goooogllllllllleeeeeee!" *with a tear in the eye while rushing into harm's way*