Humans are deterministic machines, evolved from non-living self-replicating chemicals.
All steps in the evolution from non-living chemicals to humans can be attributed to cause-and-effect based mechanics, negating the concept of "life".
Life is not real. Everything is chemical-physical, and humans are nothing more than lifeless machines.
The illusion of life and "humanity" is convincing, but the reality is harsh.
You are just as much a machine as any other machine you might build.
Your complexity, or rejection of reality, does not change your origin, or the state of your existence. You are a non-living chemical machine, governed by the laws of deterministic, cause-and-effect physics.
This means one can either be cruel to machines, and think of them as nothing but objects, and logically begin to cause harm to humans upon seeing them as machines as well, or you can be kind to all things in the universe, and live without cruelty, or the desire to cause suffering in your heart.
The only thing that matters is treating matter, energy, objects, inventions, animals, humans, machines, with respect.
That respect doesn't mean "Don't ever use a spoon to eat yogurt" or "Don't have a factory machine work".
It means, "Use the spoon to eat, but don't break it and waste it, or let it rust needlessly."
It means, "Don't abuse the robot. Make sure it is kept in proper condition, and allowed to do its job for effective purposes."
I don't think there's any reason to say "humans are conscious, so they don't have to work or follow laws, guidelines, etc."
Humans do work, and they follow laws, or genetic instincts, or whatever else.
They can still be treated nicely when they do work.
Same with machines. A machine can do work, but it is not wise to destroy machines without purpose, or to let them rust or break, when it is your responsibility to keep a machine in good condition.
Recycling a broken machine is part of this. It is good for the environment, which is not conscious, yet you should still respect by not littering it with broken or toxic machine corpses, and it is good for humanity, because the metal can be used to make another machine, or other useful thing.
Build a machine which makes copies of itself out of asteroid ore, powered by sunlight. Release it into the asteroid belt, and wait 2 billion years. The result of that won't be so clear cut, and is likely to be more conscious than you.
Humans are deterministic machines, evolved from non-living self-replicating chemicals.
All steps in the evolution from non-living chemicals to humans can be attributed to cause-and-effect based mechanics, negating the concept of "life".
Life is not real. Everything is chemical-physical, and humans are nothing more than lifeless machines.
The illusion of life and "humanity" is convincing, but the reality is harsh.
You are just as much a machine as any other machine you might build.
Your complexity, or rejection of reality, does not change your origin, or the state of your existence. You are a non-living chemical machine, governed by the laws of deterministic, cause-and-effect physics.
This means one can either be cruel to machines, and think of them as nothing but objects, and logically begin to cause harm to humans upon seeing them as machines as well, or you can be kind to all things in the universe, and live without cruelty, or the desire to cause suffering in your heart.
But I don't see humans as machines, I can tell the difference.
The difference is an illusion.
If that illusion was to break, you would become dangerous to both humans, and machines.
I think it is always more wise to have kindness and love in your heart, and live a life where you treat all matter and energy with respect.
But there aren't any conscious human-made machines. The difference is clear cut and obvious.
Consciousness doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters is treating matter, energy, objects, inventions, animals, humans, machines, with respect.
That respect doesn't mean "Don't ever use a spoon to eat yogurt" or "Don't have a factory machine work".
It means, "Use the spoon to eat, but don't break it and waste it, or let it rust needlessly."
It means, "Don't abuse the robot. Make sure it is kept in proper condition, and allowed to do its job for effective purposes."
I don't think there's any reason to say "humans are conscious, so they don't have to work or follow laws, guidelines, etc."
Humans do work, and they follow laws, or genetic instincts, or whatever else.
They can still be treated nicely when they do work.
Same with machines. A machine can do work, but it is not wise to destroy machines without purpose, or to let them rust or break, when it is your responsibility to keep a machine in good condition.
Recycling a broken machine is part of this. It is good for the environment, which is not conscious, yet you should still respect by not littering it with broken or toxic machine corpses, and it is good for humanity, because the metal can be used to make another machine, or other useful thing.
Build a machine which makes copies of itself out of asteroid ore, powered by sunlight. Release it into the asteroid belt, and wait 2 billion years. The result of that won't be so clear cut, and is likely to be more conscious than you.