The Rights of Robots

The Rights of Robots:
Technology, Culture and Law in the 21ST Century

by Phil McNally and Sohail Inayatullah*

"The predictable response to the question: should robots have rights has been one of disbelief. Those in government often question the credibility of an agency that funds such research. Many futurists, too, especially those concerned with environmental or humanistic futures, react unfavorably. They assume that we are unaware of the second and third order effects of robotics‑‑the potential economic dislocations, the strengthening of the world capitalist system, and the development of belief systems that view the human brain as only a special type of computer.

Why then in the face of constant ridicule should we pursue such a topic. We believe that the development of robots and their emerging rights is a compelling issue which will signficantly and dramatically impact not only the judicial and criminal justice system, but also the philosophical and political ideas that govern our societal institutions."

More.