Androids A Mind Body Problem

When viewing the Star Trek episode “Measure of a Man,” it is difficult not to sympathize with the character Data, not only because of his behavior during the episode but because of the close relationship many viewers developed with him and his desire to be human over the course of the series. The question of whether such super-intelligent androids capable of autonomous choices based upon feelings rather than programming would be possible to create in the future is uncertain, however, given the current limits of technology. Regardless, Picard clearly advocates a view of Data as possessing a soul, given that he explicitly affirms Data’s right to autonomy, free choice, and the ability to exercise his will over his body. This suggests that these rights are conveyed by a higher power that cannot be taken away.
Maddox, in contrast, argues for a purely material view of the android. The fact that the android can be turned off by a switch he sees as proof of Data’s lack of humanity. Yet human beings can also be turned off though death and also through medical means (like a medically-induced coma) but merely because other human beings can exercise their will upon the body does not mean that the human individual can be reduced to a body. Maddox’s criteria for sentience is intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness. Data is clearly intelligent, possesses self-awareness as is evidenced by his desire to not be submitted to a medical experiment against his will, and also has a sense of consciousness that he is alive and does not wish to be disassembled.
This definition is problematic, given that individuals with certain disabilities may not possess these qualities. Even children may not possess self-awareness in the same manner as adults. Also, there is a tendency to view human beings, as opposed to robots, with an innately greater assumption of intelligence; robots must prove their humanity by demonstrating that they can make autonomous choices. This is the criteria that most artificial intelligence must fulfill to be considered fully human. But no human being is programmed, so there is no need for the human being to prove that he or she is making choices based upon autonomous impulses, versus a programmed script of options.
At present, it appears unlikely that computers can make choices for themselves. While it is true that computers can function autonomously in the sense that they can do so without being observed by a human and told what to do, even apparently unscripted actions are, in fact, the result of complex programming, such as computer trading on Wall Street or robots that respond to sounds or sensory stimuli in the environment. The responses may be varied, but they all have a clear origin and chain of progression, based upon an initial human decision.
But based purely on the episode, Data clearly does have autonomy as a character and deserves to be accorded human rights, whatever his origins. The episode suggests that Data has grown beyond his creator, and is no longer purely operating on a level of mechanical functioning. Picard may indeed by irrational and emotional, but when protecting human rights, irrationally and emotionality is something that should not be shunned. Defending the rights of other human beings in an emotional way is noble, not foolish. Thus the final ruling of the JAG officer is valid. If such a machine as Data could be created in the future, there would have to be serious ethical consideration given to the rights of such machines. But this is not unprecedented, given the greater value placed upon some objects (such as art) because of their spiritual and cultural significance. The same might be true of machines.


References
Hasker, W. (1983). Metaphysics: Constructing a worldview. InterVarsity Press.