The visionary
9.12.2005
From the NYT "Play the Senator: What to Ask Judge Roberts?" Op-Ed Series:Question #3 from Glenn Harlan Reynolds:
3. Could a human-like artificial intelligence constitute a "person" for purposes of protection under the 14th Amendment, or is such protection limited, by the 14th Amendment's language, to those who are "born or naturalized in the United States?"
Discussion questions:
1) Why is being 'born' in the US a prerequsite for rights? Suppose we let machines constitute personhood; would the 'born or naturalized' clause limit 14th amd. protection to those machines manufactured in the US or those who had been imported at least 14 years ago?
2) Is granting legal status to a (sufficiently human, sufficiently intelligent) machine more or less offensive than granting similar status to a corporation?
3) Do you think this will become an issue in Roberts' undoubtedly long tenure as CJ of the SCOTUS?
