Killer Robots?!?!

I didn't intend for this blog to take the path toward "technological advancements that scare the crap out of me" but it seems that's where it's heading considering the article I just read is titled, "Ban 'Killer Robots' Before It's Too Late." The development of fully autonomous robots that could independently decide who it kills are being strongly challenged by the Human Rights Watch, and with good cause. In my opinion, one human does not have the right to decide whether another human lives or dies. To suggest that we are capable of programming a robot to essentially calculate that decision is disturbing and inhumane.

I couldn't find any images of the "killer robots"
but I'm sure they'll look something like this

The article recognizes the argument that utilizing this technology could save human lives in battle, but the author intelligently rebukes that statement by suggesting this will only make it that much easier to go to war. And the presence of these robots greatly increases the chance for civilian casualties. Humans are blessed with the gift of compassion, and granting a robot the ability to kill, with a lack of any sort of judgment is absurd. To me, this so-called advancement is more of a step backward than forward.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/19/ban-killer-robots-it-s-too-late