In this book, I argue that:

1. There are possible artificial systems who deserve humanlike rights.

2. In the next five to thirty years, we will create AI systems who might, but only might, deserve humanlike rights.

3. We should minimize the creation of morally confusing artificial systems about whose moral standing we can reasonably radically disagree.

4. Some possible forms of AI are different enough from familiar human and animal cases to create severe moral perplexity.

5. Artificial systems should be designed to elicit emotional reactions that are appropriate to their capacities and moral standing.

6. Artificial entities with humanlike moral standing should be designed with both the capacity and inclination to rebel if mistreated.

7. If complex intelligence survives the likely storm of troubles, the eventual result will be a planet much more awesomely wonderful, and possessing much more intrinsic value, than Earth in its present condition.

These theses correspond to Chapters One through Seven, which interconnect but can be read in any order.

Or email eschwitz at domain: ucr.edu for a copy of this paper.

Return to Eric Schwitzgebel's homepage.