Mind And Body Problem Critical Thinking Samples

In the Star trek, Data displays some parts of the characteristics thought to be essential to be classified as human, these are intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness. The Android, therefore, wins the case and is allowed to choose his fate on his existence. This view that Future Androids can have all the beliefs, feelings, and desires just like humans is misguided because the definitions of the components used in the Star Trek was shallow and do not fit into the morality and moral obligation that binds a human being towards action or inaction does not bind the Android. The Android is limited by the programmer's instructions only and therefore, cannot act morally. Machines do not possess a mind and the spirit (soul) and are therefore are not human. Maddox argues the two points that Data can mimic and display emotions and actions, idea of dualism. However, Maddox argues that these are a product of the program specifications assigned to it. Further, Maddox believes that Data has no spiritual state that is an inherent part of the human being. Machines have linear thinking that is not flexible as to accommodate change outside of coded program. In his judgment, the JAG officer makes his comments that Data was a machine and that she only accorded Data a win in the case because he was not a property of Starfleet. Therefore, it is clear that the machine has neither a soul nor a brain that executes non-linear thinking. Maddox accepts that Data is intelligent but denies that it has self awareness and consciousness. In addition to being aware of its existence, the device should also be aware of own states. Picard argues that Data is both self-aware and intelligent. Additionally, Data is conscious; he, therefore, concludes that Data is therefore sentinel because we have no ground to prove that Data is not conscious. The conclusion leads us to the analogy that Data is hence free to self-determination.
In conclusion, machines can never be human but could be developed to mimic the human behavior to a certain extent.