Altruistic robots produced through evolution

[Freeky]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

[Rococo Modem Basilisk]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

It means that your neighbours will survive at your expense, come the revolution (or something).

[Freeky]

No, I don't think so. When push comes to shove, it's a different matter entirely.

[Iason Ouabache]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

You got enjoyment from helping others. You got your reward, hedonist.

[Iason Ouabache]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

From a zoological perspective, altruism is a useful pattern in studying genetically-influenced behaviour in individuals.  So to say that a potentially altruistic individual hastens their own death only to protect genetics present in a group, or because they exist in a society where this is mutually beneficial, is both restating the obvious and missing the point.

I assumed, given the subject matter, we were talking about zoological altruism?

I don't see a difference between zoological and non-zoological altruism. Actions are actions whether they come from an organic machine or a metal/silicon machine.

[Freeky]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

You got enjoyment from helping others. You got your reward, hedonist.

[BabylonHoruv]

Moreover, I disagree with the premise that altruism requires "intentionality (and sentimentality)".  Or either, even.  Certainly, in this context, having a sentient AI which could answer questions like those posed above would be a far greater achievement than altruism.

Not really.  iGod can answer questions like that.  On the other hand it can't do any of the things the "altruistic" robots can do.

I assume you're joking - iGod is just A.L.I.C.E. -  it matches against patterns in sentence structure but has no comprehension of the conversation, other than a few pre-programmed responses on predictable subjects.  It's a clever trick, but it's not sentience.

I didn't say it was Sentient, it clearly isn't.  But if you were to ask it those questions it would answer you.

[Reginald Ret]

i like this thread.

[Jasper]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

You got enjoyment from helping others. You got your reward, hedonist.

By your standard of altruism there can be no such thing.

Your definition of altruism is therefore dysfunctional.

Altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling.

[Rococo Modem Basilisk]

IMHO, altruism is over-rated anyways. More often then not it is pure illusion. What appears to be selfless behavior is really meant to protect a gene or meme. Plus no one would be altruistic if it didn't give us an over-inflated sense of self-righteousness, you fucking hedonists.

Hey... I like doing things for other people with no benefit to me, and it doesn't make me feel self-righteous.

You got enjoyment from helping others. You got your reward, hedonist.

By your standard of altruism there can be no such thing.

Your definition of altruism is therefore dysfunctional.

Altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling.

Obviously, my definition of unicorn is dysfunctional.

[Jasper]

Obviously, my definition of unicorn is dysfunctional.

It's more likely than you think.

[Captain Utopia]

Altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling.

Human altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling, zoological altruism is a observable behaviour pattern in some other creatures.

[Reginald Ret]

Altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling.

Human altruism is only definable in terms of humanistic feeling, zoological altruism is a observable behaviour pattern in some other creatures.

real altruism can't occur in a evolving system.
'humanistic altruism' cant occur outside of humans.
these robots are selfish bastards either way.

[Captain Utopia]

What the heck is "real altruism" 

[Reginald Ret]

i think i mean what you call zoological altruism.
i just call it altruism.