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We've had lethal robots for decades. They were called rockets. The only thing that changed is - now everybody can make it's own lethal robot. I don't see why

by ajuc 8y ago

We've had lethal robots for decades. They were called rockets. The only thing that changed is - now everybody can make it's own lethal robot. I don't see why guns/explosives on robots should be treated differently than explosives/guns without robots.

zaarn 8y ago
The difference is that with rockets, a human still has to decide on the target and what to destroy. A human makes the decision to kill. With modern robots you can deploy a killbot into some area and they will autonomously decide who to kill and who not to kill with utmost precision beyond what is possible with rockets (which are a general attack on a sizable area).
- ajuc 8y ago
  > The difference is that with rockets, a human still has to decide on the target and what to destroy. A human makes the decision to kill. That wasn't true even before rockets. Mines are one example of a weapon where the decision to kill isn't made by a human, but by the device (even if the decision tree was as simple as "if weight>threshold: kill").
  - zaarn 8y ago
    Landmines were banned in a 1997 convention, specifically landmines that kill people (disabling vehicles is allowed).
Gustomaximus 8y ago
Not really. A person fired that at a particular target. Those sci-fi bullets with find that improve aim are not leathal autonomous robots. It's still manual, just with aim assist.
- shusson 8y ago
  Yeah but say a person fires at target x but during the flight , the rocket locks on to target y.
- ajuc 8y ago
  Modern rockets can automatically change target after human fired it. There are even anti-tank rockets you fire when you don't even see if there is a target, just suspect it. Then, when it flies over a hill and sees a target - it locks on and destroys it. There are also bombs which spread small explosives over a large area, each of these small explosives has passive control surfaces and try to target the closest armored vehicle under them. So that you only decide to deploy the bomb in some area, and the bombs decide which target to choose.

by ajuc 8y ago

zaarn 8y ago

The difference is that with rockets, a human still has to decide on the target and what to destroy. A human makes the decision to kill. With modern robots you can deploy a killbot into some area and they will autonomously decide who to kill and who not to kill with utmost precision beyond what is possible with rockets (which are a general attack on a sizable area).

ajuc 8y ago
> The difference is that with rockets, a human still has to decide on the target and what to destroy. A human makes the decision to kill. That wasn't true even before rockets. Mines are one example of a weapon where the decision to kill isn't made by a human, but by the device (even if the decision tree was as simple as "if weight>threshold: kill").
- zaarn 8y ago
  Landmines were banned in a 1997 convention, specifically landmines that kill people (disabling vehicles is allowed).

Gustomaximus 8y ago

Not really. A person fired that at a particular target. Those sci-fi bullets with find that improve aim are not leathal autonomous robots. It's still manual, just with aim assist.

shusson 8y ago
Yeah but say a person fires at target x but during the flight , the rocket locks on to target y.
ajuc 8y ago
Modern rockets can automatically change target after human fired it. There are even anti-tank rockets you fire when you don't even see if there is a target, just suspect it. Then, when it flies over a hill and sees a target - it locks on and destroys it. There are also bombs which spread small explosives over a large area, each of these small explosives has passive control surfaces and try to target the closest armored vehicle under them. So that you only decide to deploy the bomb in some area, and the bombs decide which target to choose.