Robots and Minds

Robots and Minds

Today, people may contain an artificial leg but does that make them any less human? They may look different but still acquire consciousness. In Robots and Minds by William Lycan, he evaluates two experiments one named Harry and one named Henrietta who then are put to test on determining what is human, and how smart one must be to be considered human. From reading this essay I have gained a view that shows equality.

Lycan creates an experiment with a laboratory made form that is similar to human. His name is Harry. Harry contains feelings, emotions, acts like a human, and would pass any test of consciousness as a human would. Though he is created in a lab of parts, we can be perceived by how people act. We also may judge how people look and that can determine how people treat them. Though he looks different how is he any less human like than us?

Lycan continues with the experiment. Henrietta is a human who then slowly is being replaced by laboratory parts. The changes can not be noticed by others though she is in a different body. The main part of this is finding the point where Henrietta changes. What is the certain degree? And if she still contains human like actions why treat them any different. This as well goes along with harry. Just because he looks different he should not be treated any differently.

My reactions to the essay Robots and Minds by William Lycan, was at first I was confused but it all started to make sense once I looked at the comparison between harry, Henrietta and us humans. They have motives to life just like us which gives them rights and privileges we are given. Though they may look different it is not fair to discriminate. I agree with the message of the story that all people should be treated equally. The robots made the story more visual so I could understand and by using a comparison of humans it was easily relative.

After I evaluated the reading Robots and Minds by William Lycan it opened my eyes to a new sense of thinking. The use of Henry and Henrietta was a good interpretation that can be used for many examples on how we perceive things. It makes me wonder at what point of altering something that it changes completely. If something acts similar but looks differently does that make it not the same? How we perceive things is a big factor in judging of how we determine things.