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From: AIList-REQUEST@AI.AI.MIT.EDU (AIList Moderator Nick Papadakis)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.digest
Subject: AIList Digest   V7 #4 [bwk@mitre-bedford.arpa: Re: Punishment of machines]
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Date: 25 May 88 00:52:42 GMT
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Date: 9 May 88 16:02:01 GMT
From: bwk@mitre-bedford.arpa  (Barry W. Kort)
Reply-to: AIList@AI.AI.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Punishment of machines [AIList Digest   V7 #4]

I was fascinated by John Nagle's rejoinder to my remarks about
punishing a machine.  John writes:
>      The concept of a machine which could be productively punished is
>not totally unreasonable.  It is, in fact, a useful property for some robots
>to have.  Robots that operate in the real world need mechanisms that implement
>fear and pain to survive.  Such machines will respond positively to punishment.
>
>      I am working toward this end, am constructing suitable hardware and
>software, and expect to demonstrate such robots in about a year.

John's posting reminded me of the short story, "Soul of the Mark III Beast"
which appears in _The Mind's I_.  While I cannot dispute John's point
that a game of engineered darwinism might produce a race of hardy robots,
I must confess that I am troubled by the concept.  Would not the survivors
be liable to rising up against their creators in a titanic struggle
for dominance and survival?  Would we erect a new colliseum to enjoy
the spectacle of intermachine warfare?  Why am I both excited and
horrified by the thought?

--Barry Kort

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