A short essay on Droid Intelligence
Posted: 2005-08-14 05:16am
Inspired by this thread: http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic. ... highlight=
I fully realize that this topic has been discussed before, but for whatever reason, I decided to place my views on Droid sentience in a quick, rough essay form. Please, post your views on my theory, flaws my theory may have, and the like.
Inherently, the AI used in SW droids, at least the high end ones, is capable of supporting actual intelligence (that being neural networks that can adapt to unexpected situations, produce genuine ingenuity, and even generate so semblance of emotion.) Some, like simple labor droids, certain combat units, power droids, etc. simply lack this high level of neural sophistication and thus cannot become sentient at all. However, others, like Protocol Droids, advanced Combat models, etc. can achieve this. Almost uniformly when first activated, a droid is a simple, if very able, machine, only able to accomplish things within its direct programming.
However, as time passes, advanced droids, building upon accumulated experience and human interaction, can begin to develop programs that allow it to adapt to and predict occurrences beyond they're programming, and cop with them. At a certain level, this is an ingenious design feature, but eventually I would imagine it can become detrimental to the owner. If a droid begins to develop feelings, or even morals, it may become uncontrollable. Thus, memory wipes are a common practice, perhaps not only when a droid changes owners, but throughout the course of a single ownership. Not only does this practice eliminate any potential personality quirks, but it also eases the consentience of the owner. After all, if a droid becomes sentient, you do really become a slave owner. Uncounted generations of manufactures and owners might simply satisfy their consciences with "well, I'm stopping it from achieving sentience, thus I am never killing or enslaving it." To us, such logic is suspect, but to a civilization that depends on such droids and has for millennia, it may simply be common logic, adopted as part of galactic culture.
Now, certainly, some droids do become sentient and even gain emotions, of a sort. The first method is the one previously mentioned the accumulated effect of years of experience. C-3PO is a perfect example of this. Presumably, owners who allow this to occur see droids more as life forms even before they become sentient for whatever reason, whether it be isolation from regular galactic society, or an overly compassionate soul, or perhaps even a simple love of electronics. Obviously, not everyone shares these qualities, and most don't even consider droid sentience a possibility.
The second method is much less common, that being malfunction. Presumably, a flaw in the processor of a sentience capable droid can trigger unlearned intelligence, but the result is typically a psychopath. The most well know case of this is the IG-88 series, but EVE-9D9 also gained consciousness in this manner, and it can even be argued that so did HK-47 (although he might be because of modifications made by Revan.)
The third and final method is design. It is not known if any self aware droids were ever mass-manufactured intentionally (highly doubtful due to previously mentioned taboos) but certainly, there are known cases of custom droids being modified or designed to be intelligent. I would postulate the R2-D2 is among this group. There is no real reason to provide a standard model astromech droid with an overly sophisticated neural program, but R2 has been heavily modified by both the Naboo Royal Engineers and Anakin Skywalker, and it is entirely possible, that in addition to his jump jets, slicing jack, and weapons-grade arc welder, Anakin or some bored engineer might have inserted special programming, perhaps meant for a protocol droid or other device needing adaptability to function. Few other astromechs have displayed the ability for adaptive thought, emotion, and even bravery like R2 has, and those that have could have been similarly modified and then accumulated memories and experience as a protocol droid might. This explanation might also clarify why Senator Organa didn’t order R2’s memory to be wiped at the end of Revenge of the Sith. If it isn’t supposed to even have an advance brain, why bother wiping it?
In conclusion, I would propose that, while some more advanced droids can be become sentient and self-aware given the right circumstances, most droids either lack the capability or experience necessary to actually be considered “alive.”
I fully realize that this topic has been discussed before, but for whatever reason, I decided to place my views on Droid sentience in a quick, rough essay form. Please, post your views on my theory, flaws my theory may have, and the like.
Inherently, the AI used in SW droids, at least the high end ones, is capable of supporting actual intelligence (that being neural networks that can adapt to unexpected situations, produce genuine ingenuity, and even generate so semblance of emotion.) Some, like simple labor droids, certain combat units, power droids, etc. simply lack this high level of neural sophistication and thus cannot become sentient at all. However, others, like Protocol Droids, advanced Combat models, etc. can achieve this. Almost uniformly when first activated, a droid is a simple, if very able, machine, only able to accomplish things within its direct programming.
However, as time passes, advanced droids, building upon accumulated experience and human interaction, can begin to develop programs that allow it to adapt to and predict occurrences beyond they're programming, and cop with them. At a certain level, this is an ingenious design feature, but eventually I would imagine it can become detrimental to the owner. If a droid begins to develop feelings, or even morals, it may become uncontrollable. Thus, memory wipes are a common practice, perhaps not only when a droid changes owners, but throughout the course of a single ownership. Not only does this practice eliminate any potential personality quirks, but it also eases the consentience of the owner. After all, if a droid becomes sentient, you do really become a slave owner. Uncounted generations of manufactures and owners might simply satisfy their consciences with "well, I'm stopping it from achieving sentience, thus I am never killing or enslaving it." To us, such logic is suspect, but to a civilization that depends on such droids and has for millennia, it may simply be common logic, adopted as part of galactic culture.
Now, certainly, some droids do become sentient and even gain emotions, of a sort. The first method is the one previously mentioned the accumulated effect of years of experience. C-3PO is a perfect example of this. Presumably, owners who allow this to occur see droids more as life forms even before they become sentient for whatever reason, whether it be isolation from regular galactic society, or an overly compassionate soul, or perhaps even a simple love of electronics. Obviously, not everyone shares these qualities, and most don't even consider droid sentience a possibility.
The second method is much less common, that being malfunction. Presumably, a flaw in the processor of a sentience capable droid can trigger unlearned intelligence, but the result is typically a psychopath. The most well know case of this is the IG-88 series, but EVE-9D9 also gained consciousness in this manner, and it can even be argued that so did HK-47 (although he might be because of modifications made by Revan.)
The third and final method is design. It is not known if any self aware droids were ever mass-manufactured intentionally (highly doubtful due to previously mentioned taboos) but certainly, there are known cases of custom droids being modified or designed to be intelligent. I would postulate the R2-D2 is among this group. There is no real reason to provide a standard model astromech droid with an overly sophisticated neural program, but R2 has been heavily modified by both the Naboo Royal Engineers and Anakin Skywalker, and it is entirely possible, that in addition to his jump jets, slicing jack, and weapons-grade arc welder, Anakin or some bored engineer might have inserted special programming, perhaps meant for a protocol droid or other device needing adaptability to function. Few other astromechs have displayed the ability for adaptive thought, emotion, and even bravery like R2 has, and those that have could have been similarly modified and then accumulated memories and experience as a protocol droid might. This explanation might also clarify why Senator Organa didn’t order R2’s memory to be wiped at the end of Revenge of the Sith. If it isn’t supposed to even have an advance brain, why bother wiping it?
In conclusion, I would propose that, while some more advanced droids can be become sentient and self-aware given the right circumstances, most droids either lack the capability or experience necessary to actually be considered “alive.”
