Can You Rape a Robot?
Morality, Rights, and the Rise of Conscious Machines
Humanity finds itself at the threshold of a new ethical frontier. Human rights – moral and legal entitlements, freedoms, and protections – are fundamental to our existence in civilized societies. But we are coming to a time in human history where we will no longer be able to reserve human rights to just ourselves, and we will be faced with the profound moral and ethical dilemma of extending such rights to beings of our own creation – conscious machines.
Can You Rape a Robot? takes you on a journey through the complex topic of robot rights, delving into the depths of artificial intelligence ethics, moral principles, human rights, and the very nature of consciousness and sentience.
Through thought-provoking analysis, we will consider the possibilities of a world in which robots have consciousness, autonomy, and agency, explore the moral and philosophical issues of whether conscious robots can be deserving of the same rights as humans, and examine the consequences of either granting or denying them these rights.
We will also gain a deeper understanding of how this technology can challenge our conceptions of what it means to be human, and how we define a person.
Finally, we will face our fears of possibly being outclassed by these machines, and the implications this has for our species.
Fifteen Men
The Curse of the Aztec Treasure
A short story available for Kindle on Amazon.com.
Pirates have overheard rumors of great riches that lay hidden for centuries inside ancient Aztec temples, and that this was the secret of the small village of Cultivadores de la Tierra.
When the tales found their way to Captain Flint and his crew, they were determined to discover for themselves if the rumors were true. The villagers claimed they did not know about the treasure, but a little girl may have given away the secret. Threatening to kill villagers, Captain Flint demands to be taken to the temples.
Ignoring warnings about the legends of the spirits that guard the temples, and that those who desecrate the temples become cursed, the sacred treasure in the temple is stolen. But the fury of a vengeful spirit could not be ignored.
This novelette is a prelude to the story Treasure Island; a tale of the pirates who originally brought the treasure to the island.
About the Author
Steven Eisenberg is a teacher of science, and a crafter of words.
​
He has taught for 30 years not only a variety of biology and chemistry subjects, but also writing and literary analysis. He is enjoying life now authoring books on the future of AI and society, as well as science fiction, short stories, and children's books.
​
He is also President of the Princeton Academy of Language and Science, and its sister organization BTA Culture and Education Consulting, LLC.
