Issac Asmimov’s Three Laws of Robotics:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
The other week Donna had a late afternoon, after work doctor’s appointment. I drove over with her and rather than wait in the doctor’s waiting room full of sick people and uncomfortable chairs, I waited out in the Sonata with a book and my own music. With the sun shade covering the windshield, both front windows open and sitting in the passenger seat I was quite comfortable. About an hour into the wait, all of a sudden the music stopped. I looked over at the radio display and it was blank. Oh, crap, I killed the battery.
I hit the illuminated start button again and everything came back to life. Phew.
Had the car just invoked the Third Law?