Examining the Ethical Implications of Robots in War

Schneier points out an interesting (and long, 117-pages) paper on the ethical implications of robots in war [PDF]. "This report has provided the motivation, philosophy, formalisms, representational requirements, architectural design criteria, recommendations, and test scenarios to design and construct an autonomous robotic system architecture capable of the ethical use of lethal force. These first steps toward that goal are very preliminary and subject to major revision, but at the very least they can be viewed as the beginnings of an ethical robotic warfighter. The primary goal remains to enforce the International Laws of War in the battlefield in a manner that is believed achievable, by creating a class of robots that not only conform to International Law but outperform human soldiers in their ethical capacity."

Economic Warfare & Gundams

[infonography]

Consider that robots cost money, the country with more economic power is likely to be the winner in such a conflict. A large part of the U.S.A.'s success in WW2 was the sheer capacity of it's factories which were by if nothing but distance well defended against attack. European nations where under constant attack on their military infrastructure while American Factories where never bombed and even the concept of saboteurs blowing up factories in the States was a ridiculous notion to the Axis. Sure, Blow up the Pittsburgh bomb factory then you still have 20 more scattered about the US.

Robots won't be used simply because a robot doesn't have the discrimination as to who to attack and not to. Despite Orwellian fantasies, the practical upshot is that you would suffer to much friendly fire from such weapons and intense PR backlash. Sorry I don't see it happening.

Telepresence weapons are far more likely, as we have already seen in use.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture [animenewsnetwork.com] has been denying their work on this. America is full of fully trained pilots for these crafts (Wii, Xbox, Playstation etc).

Suggested reading of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Robert Aspirin's Cold Cash War

Blame the other guy.

[spun]

It's those darn Japanese guy's fault! Never mind that many subassemblies are in fact made in local shops. Never mind that we invented the Kaizan method, but no one here would use it. Never mind that the plant president lives on the same block as my father in-law and makes less than $500,000 per year while my father in-law makes over $200,000. He could make MORE working at an American car company, you know why he doesn't? Because they have crap standards and treat their employees like shit.

It's not the world's inability that's the problem. It's the cheap labor conservatives an their policy of doing anything to screw over the working man and make him desperate enough to put up with anything they dish out. You can bend over and spread for them if you like, but I'm not going to.