Those two examples are where I respectively need to disagree.
Both a brain in a box or robocop if they started out as organic beings are
Cyborgs, a continuum between organic and artificial beings that remains
fundamentally organic regardless of percentage of peripheral organic or
mechanical parts. (After all, if some of the mechanical components are
detachable or expandable, you can’t change classification based on which legs
you’re wearing that day).
But that’s just my opinion.
Geir Lanesskog
On Jul 20, 2021, at 9:02 AM, Marc Miller <farfuture@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From the chapter:
A synthetic is an organic- or biologically-based artificial being
manufactured according to a master template or blueprint. Synthetics
blend biological and non-biological processes (the specific proportion
may vary). For example, a synthetic may use biological processes to
produce energy but have a mechanical pump to circulate blood.
Synthetics are distinguishable from clones (duplicates created from
existing genetic templates), chimeras (the result of genetic
engineering), and robots (truly mechanical or non-organic beings).
Just How Synthetic Is Synthetic?
Many organic sophonts have mechanical or non-organic components
(replaced teeth, replaced joints or bones, prostheses, a heart
pacemaker, an insulin pump). Many robots have organic-based components
(smell processors, organic brains). The generally accepted guidelines
are:
A being (natural, clone, or chimera) remains organic despite the
replacement of body components with non-organic parts if the majority
of functions are organic.
A robot remains robotic with up to one-third organic components. The
most common organic component for a robot is an organic brain.
A synthetic (or semi-organic) lies between organic and robotic.
Sophontoids appear externally similar to their pattern, but they are
internally and macroscopically different. Internal processes, organs,
and fluids are independently designed using alternative methodologies.
A semi-organic is incapable of (or is not normally produced capable
of) reproduction.
A giant brain in a vat (with wheels) is organic (assuming the brain is
more than 1/3 of the being).
Robocop is a robot (with an organic brain/head).
On Tue, Jul 20, 2021 at 6:15 AM David Buckle===========================================================
<david.ak.buckle@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
So...a synthetic is a blend of organic and mechanical...
...Does this mean that someone with an mechanical prosthetic arm is a
synthetic?
...How is it that Synthetics (part organic but property) get Charisma while
robots (mechanical but sophont) don’t?
How is that property boundary defined? At what point do items of property
become non-property in law?
If Synthetics are property, can Organics be transformed from Free to
Property by modification? Or Robots?
Best Regards
David
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