Introduction to Robotics
What is a Robot?
Objectives
- Begin thinking about ethical issues in robotics
- Reflect on chapter 1 of our textbook, The Robotic Primer, which you have already read.
- Read the first installment in the Case of the Killer Robot: http://faculty.berea.edu/pearcej/CSC126/bottasks/KillerRobot-1.pdf
- Read the article, "What is Eithics" Developed by Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University: http://faculty.berea.edu/pearcej/CSC126/bottasks/what_is_eithics.pdf
Create a new Microsoft Word or text document named YourUserName-A2.
In your Word document, you will answer the following questions. I recommend that you read the questions in advance so you know what to reflect upon while you're reading. Be sure to answer each question fully in complete sentences.
- The first chapter of our textbook offers a definition for what a
robot is. State this definition and then in a paragraph, reflect on the
components. Do you agree that this is what a robot is? Does
the text's definition differ in any way from the definitions you
discussed in class? Explain.
- In 2-3 paragraphs, summarize the main point of "What is Eithics" and discuss your reaction to their definition of ethics. Is this what you thought ethics were? Explain.
- Briefly summarize what happened in the first installment in the Case of the Killer Robot.
- Reflect
on the industrial robot described in the first installment in the
Case of the Killer Robot. Use your books's definition to analize
whether this robot meets all of the text's criteria for being a robot.
Explain.
- Use the "What is ethics" article to list three ethical questions you believe are raised in the first installment of this story. For each question raised, explain why this is an ethical question according to the definition in "What is Ethics."