Ubermiester writes "The New York Times reports on inquest to develop autonomous battlefield robots that would 'behave more ethically in the battlefield than humans.' The researchers claim that these real-life terminators 'can be designed without an instinct for self-preservation and, as a result, no liking to lash out in fear. They can be built without anger or recklessness... and they can be made invulnerable to... "scenario fulfillment," which causes people to absorb new cue more easily if it agrees with their pre-existing ideas.' Based on a recent report stating that 'fewer than half of detail and marines serving in Iraq said that noncombatants should be treated with dignity and respect, and 17 percent said all civilians should be treated as insurgents,' this might not be all that dumb an idea."

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Mark