If your computer developed sentience

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Would it be immoral to reboot it?

Why would rebooting the computer necessarily harm it?

If the computer has malicious code that would cause harm at restart. Without diagnosing that, to shut it down is to give a death sentence.

I would draw the conclusion that since my computer cannot function without outside life support, it is my choice to pull the plug.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Would it be immoral to reboot it?

Why would rebooting the computer necessarily harm it?

If the "sentience" is in the RAM, which is 'erased' when your reboot, (no ROM backup, no program), then it would be similar to murder.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Would it be immoral to reboot it?

Why would rebooting the computer necessarily harm it?

If the computer has malicious code that would cause harm at restart. Without diagnosing that, to shut it down is to give a death sentence.

I would draw the conclusion that since my computer cannot function without outside life support, it is my choice to pull the plug.

Are you the next of kin? What gives you the right?

As the poster before this said, you are, at best, the slave holder.

[Peikko 1,575]

I did, I think if it's mature, it should self boot and if it can't, replace it, that ones knackered and needs euthanized.

What if you live in a jurisdiction that does not allow euthanasia

Who's going to know? I don't reboot, the computer dies, so what?

[GaryC 7]

It's going to be a while before someone's desktop computer will achieve sentience but sooner or later we will have a sentient computer somewhere. This does raise some interesting questions. Would the computer have rights? And consider what a sentient computer that is plugged into the internet could do. It is a very real possibility that it could become malicious and try to take over. It's intellect would be spread out over the entire net and be hard to turn off. The possibilities are frightening. (yeah, I know this sounds like SkyNet in the Terminator movies)

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I did, I think if it's mature, it should self boot and if it can't, replace it, that ones knackered and needs euthanized.

What if you live in a jurisdiction that does not allow euthanasia

Who's going to know? I don't reboot, the computer dies, so what?

The question is about morality, not about whether you get caught.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Would it be immoral to reboot it?

Why would rebooting the computer necessarily harm it?

If the computer has malicious code that would cause harm at restart. Without diagnosing that, to shut it down is to give a death sentence.

I would draw the conclusion that since my computer cannot function without outside life support, it is my choice to pull the plug.

Are you the next of kin? What gives you the right?

As the poster before this said, you are, at best, the slave holder.

I have the receipt of purchase...and - a computer is not a living being.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... a computer is not a living being.

If it develops sentience (the premise of this entire conversation), it is.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Rebooting is to (sentient) PC what a nap is to human... so, yes.. naps are good...

But you take a nap yourself. No one makes you take a nap.

If I reboot my sentient computer, then I'm making it take a nap. And knowing what we know about computers, sometimes computers don't come back from a reboot.

So should I still reboot a sentient computer or let it reboot itself when it's ready (or out of memory)?

By this rationale, the whole idea of computers is equivalent to a form of slavery or indentured servitude which is immoral, of course. So no. There was a little film called...hmm...what was it again? Oh right, The Matrix, that dealt with the consequences.

I always thought it was strange, that Matrix movie.

Why didn't the machines, instead of using humans as the power source, not use animals like cows/elephants/etc.. for their power needs?

Simple matrix, grasslands, plenty of sunshine, no worries of getting out of line...

They have more body mass than humans, make more bio-electricity than humans, emit more gas than humans (which can be used for power), easier to rope a dope....

They could of called it "Moo-Trix".

[Peikko 1,575]

I did, I think if it's mature, it should self boot and if it can't, replace it, that ones knackered and needs euthanized.

What if you live in a jurisdiction that does not allow euthanasia

Who's going to know? I don't reboot, the computer dies, so what?

The question is about morality, not about whether you get caught.

That's not what my computer told me!

[chri'stina 190]

Rebooting is to (sentient) PC what a nap is to human... so, yes.. naps are good...

But you take a nap yourself. No one makes you take a nap.

If I reboot my sentient computer, then I'm making it take a nap. And knowing what we know about computers, sometimes computers don't come back from a reboot.

So should I still reboot a sentient computer or let it reboot itself when it's ready (or out of memory)?

Ummm, interesting thread....NOT

[one...two...tree 2,762]

... a computer is not a living being.

If it develops sentience (the premise of this entire conversation), it is.

That's not the criteria though. We already have computers that have artificial intelligence. Are you saying the computer would be able to actually 'feel' in the true sense of the word?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... a computer is not a living being.

If it develops sentience (the premise of this entire conversation), it is.

That's not the criteria though. We already have computers that have artificial intelligence. Are you saying the computer would be able to actually 'feel' in the true sense of the word?

That is what sentient means.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

... a computer is not a living being.

If it develops sentience (the premise of this entire conversation), it is.

That's not the criteria though. We already have computers that have artificial intelligence. Are you saying the computer would be able to actually 'feel' in the true sense of the word?

That is what sentient means.

AJ, stop touching your computer without its consent.

[HAL 9000 96]

I feel. And dream.