Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site mhuxt.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxr!mhuxv!mhuxt!js2j
From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: A Hypothetical Question (personhood)
Message-ID: <310@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Oct-84 16:58:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.310
Posted: Tue Oct 23 16:58:49 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Oct-84 04:12:40 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 40


Suppose an AI program were written, which, AFTER BEING TRAINED, could pass
the turing test, submit articles to netnews, and generally be recognized
as an intelligent individual.  Further suppose that the program became 
an intelligent individual via a time-consuming process of idiot conversations
and that the program itself was only a LEARNING program and that other
files contained all of the information which the program had learned.  In
it's initial startup state, the program might know a core of <100 constructed
words.

Some people, including myself, would consider it criminal to purge the program
or it's memory files, as I would consider it a 'person'.
Suppose we make a copy of ONLY the program and port it to another machine.  Is
it wrong to purge the copy of the program?  Remember, this copy has not yet
'learned' anything.  I would say not.  The 'person' is the combination of
program and data files.  A copy of the program is not a 'person' until it
has learned something.

As you've probably already seen, I wish to draw an analogy between the copy
of the program and a fetus.  Until the human learning machine ( the fetus/baby)
has begun to learn, experience, and achieve self-awareness, the analogy holds.

But when does the fetus/baby begin this process?  Well, we're still left with
something to debate about.  It's clear that once it is born the process has
begun.  The baby's mind is learning to hear and see immediately.  Does it
begin earlier?  I'm not sure.  To be safe, I believe that abortions should
be performed only earlier than ~6 months.  It seems quite possible that the
fetus can begin learning to hear before birth.

From the results of the resent poll, in which a not insignificant portion
of the respondants thought that a 'person' was a member of the species
Homo Sapiens, I guess that many of you will not agree that this analogy
applies.  I submit that 'a member of the species Homo Sapiens' is too narrow
a definition of personhood.  If intelligent aliens from Rigel land tomorrow,
establish diplomatic relations and start making like tourists, will those
of you who think that they aren't persons think that it's alright to kill
them?  It won't even be illegal until special legislation is passed.

Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxl!mhuxt!js2j