Can you rape a machine?

SLAM: debunk creationism, pseudoscience, and superstitions. Discuss logic and morality.

Moderator: Alyrium Denryle

User avatar
Chris OFarrell
Durandal's Bitch
Posts: 5724
Joined: 2002-08-02 07:57pm
Contact:

Post by Chris OFarrell »

Coyote wrote:As mentioned, the Cylon was raped to bring about a particular mental reaction from her, ie, to break down her resistance through trauma. So regardless of what the rapists tell themselves to sleep at night, they did knowing inflict pain and suffering with the expectations of a desired result.

This does, however, bring up something else that might be curious.

Suppose a pervert commissions the construction of a child robot. Since the robot child does not develop in society and is programmed to be a willing participant, is it illegal for the pervert to have sex with the robokid? Or is it legal but immoral? Is the pedophile actually doing society a favor by finding essentially an advanced love doll to take out his perversions on, rather than preying on real kids?
That would depend of if the Robot was sentient or not. If its just a sex doll with programed responses, no matter how real it LOOKS, it can't be said to have will of its own and therefore can't be an unwilling participant.
Image
User avatar
NecronLord
Harbinger of Doom
Harbinger of Doom
Posts: 27384
Joined: 2002-07-07 06:30am
Location: The Lost City

Post by NecronLord »

Stravo wrote:What about the argument that Adama posits early on in a 1st season episode that Cylons don't feel. They are software that pretends that it is feeling. Pretends that it is alive in essence. Are Cylons merely really good simulations of life or are they really sentient?
First, Adama is a liar. He tells lies. Whopping great big massive ones, gargantugan collosal titanic lies. He tells them to thousands of people at once. These aren't little fibs like 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman.' He's proven that he will say absolutely anything to keep his people going, even though it would take a thosand cattle ranches to produce an equivalent mass of bullshit. 'Earth exists, I know where it is...'

Second: He's in absolutely no position to know. It's impossible for one human to fully understand every aspect of Windows 2000, let alone a cylon. Baltar certainly doesn't know how their brains work in any detail, Adama, who has no academic training in the relevant field whatsoever, has no hope of knowing. Any information he has will either be from what one would call 'a loon' (IE, Baltar) or grossly outdated technical documents that would qualify as propaganda anyway.

Thirdly, so are humans. Your brain just 'pretends' that it's feeling. It's just an organic processing network in a slop of hormones and cushioning fluid.

What's more, if it doesn't have 'proper' feelings, presumably you'd endorse a rape of a Vulcan. They claim not to have emotions, after all, so it shouldn't matter, and would give the rapists pleasure...
Superior Moderator - BotB - HAB [Drill Instructor]-Writer- Stardestroyer.net's resident Star-God.
"We believe in the systematic understanding of the physical world through observation and experimentation, argument and debate and most of all freedom of will." ~ Stargate: The Ark of Truth
User avatar
Adrian McNair
Padawan Learner
Posts: 330
Joined: 2006-03-21 11:46pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Adrian McNair »

Under what criteria can the Human-Form Cylons be categorised as "machines"? This is an oversimplification of their true nature and only an ignorant pre-conceived notion that the Colonials have. They are the complete anti-thesis of what a machine is. They have displayed independent thought and sentience.

To give a few examples- witness Sharon's defection and placing herself in a potentially compromising position by making the journey to the Galactica in order to try to create a semblance of a future with Helo. If Sharon and Gina are merely sophisticated examples of bio-technology then why would they be affected to such an extent (to the point where they are clearly traumatised) by the abuse that has been heaped upon them? Why would a "machine" such as Gina pursue an entirely human desire for vengeance against Admiral Cain?

As far as I am concerned, the Human-Forms are indistinguishable from homo-sapiens, barring a few differences.

If you want straightforward examples of technology that could be classified as automatons then you need not look any further than the Centurions or the Raiders. Those are merely weapons programmed to fufill a limited set of functions.

While the actions of certain officers from the Pegasus (such as Thorne) are not entirely without some motivation they are still completely unacceptable. You can never legitimise nor rationalise rape in any situation. That is an immutable fact.
Post Reply