In this blog post, we philosophically explore the boundaries between humans and robots, emotions and free will, and the essential conditions for being recognized as human through the film ‘The Bicentennial Man’.
The film Bicentennial Man, as the English title suggests, is about a being who lived for two centuries. The key point here is that he wasn’t born human; he was manufactured as a robot, gradually acquiring human attributes and appearance, and was ultimately recognized as human. Throughout the film, reasons for not being recognized as human are presented. Initially, it was naturally distinguished by appearance, but even as the appearance gradually became more human-like, it was not recognized as human due to attributes unique to humans. It was only by choosing death that it was finally recognized as human. This leads us to consider what attributes truly distinguish robots from humans.
Currently, the easiest way to distinguish robots from humans is by appearance. Humans have skin. They sweat when hot and possess a certain degree of elasticity. However, most robots today are made of metal. Furthermore, humans exhibit diverse facial expressions reflecting emotional changes. Robots, however, lack expressions capable of conveying emotion. Of course, robots designed to display expressions do exist. The MDS emotion-expressing robot developed at MIT is a prime example. Yet its expressions are clearly distinct from human ones, featuring unnatural facial movements and an entirely inhuman appearance. Therefore, distinguishing robots from humans today is relatively straightforward.
But can we define humanity solely based on appearance and emotional expression? Humankind has long discussed humanity beyond appearance. For instance, humans are evaluated as beings possessing moral reasoning and the capacity for ethical choices. This distinguishes them from robots that merely follow programmed rules. Discussions about whether robots can independently make moral judgments remain active. In this regard, moral agency could be presented as a key factor distinguishing humans from robots.
So what if, in the future, technology becomes so advanced that a robot’s appearance becomes nearly indistinguishable from a human’s? Andrew, the protagonist of The Bicentennial Man, succeeds in surgically altering his face and body to resemble a human’s appearance. Indeed, people encountering Andrew on the street do not treat him like a robot. This is because his appearance was human-like and his behavior was natural. If such an era arrives, how could one distinguish between a human and a robot?
Another method presented in the film is ‘personality’. Early in the movie, when Andrew’s owner goes to the robot manufacturer for an inspection, the company president offers a large sum to cover up a malfunction. The owner responds: “Personality has no price.” This line presents personality as the reason Andrew is seen differently from other robots. So, could a robot with personality be recognized as human? Personality is an attribute that can be implemented through programming. If you want an energetic robot, you can program it to act energetically; if you want a scary robot, you can make it behave frighteningly. Therefore, relying solely on personality as the criterion for recognizing a robot as human is problematic.
Another criterion is ‘free will’. Andrew wants to buy his freedom from his owner. When asked why he desires freedom so much, he answers: “Throughout human history, countless people have risked death to obtain it. That is freedom.” Countless wars in human history have been fought for freedom, and it is considered a crucial human attribute. So, can freedom be the criterion distinguishing humans from robots?
If a robot were granted freedom, what would it do? If freedom were given to a robot lacking free will, it would be freedom without practical meaning. In the past, humans desired freedom to do what they wished, and they possessed the crucial attribute of free will. In this regard, free will could be a key criterion distinguishing humans from robots.
The issue of emotions could also be a crucial criterion distinguishing humans from robots. Currently, one of the primary criteria distinguishing humans from robots is emotion. Humans possess diverse emotions like joy, sorrow, pain, and love. Robots, however, lack emotions. If robots were to develop emotions in the future, could we recognize them as human? For example, what if an emotional robot didn’t shed tears when feeling sorrow? Merely having emotions makes it difficult to prove humanity.
What about ‘death,’ a human attribute? Humans have long dreamed of immortality and made great efforts to avoid death. In the past, the average lifespan was around 30 years, but today it has increased to 80 years. If medicine continues to advance, an era where people live to 100 or even 200 years old may arrive. If so, can we distinguish humans and robots with semi-permanent lifespans based on death? In the movie Bicentennial Man, Andrew is recognized as human by choosing death. However, in my opinion, this is an unjust judgment. One should be able to be recognized as human even without dying, because in the future, the lifespans of humans and robots may not differ significantly.
Ultimately, the only clear way to distinguish humans from robots must be through legal criteria based on established procedures. Conditions for legal recognition as human must be presented, and only robots meeting those conditions can be recognized as human. Based on the discussion above, the fundamental conditions can be presented as follows.
1. To be recognized as human, one must possess a human-like appearance.
2. To be recognized as human, one must possess emotions.
3. To be recognized as human, one must possess free will.
The physical appearance, emotions, and free will outlined above are fundamental conditions for recognition as human. However, further discussion is necessary, and specific criteria will evolve over time. Slaves in the past lacked freedom yet were recognized as human, and increased lifespan due to technological advancement does not diminish humanity. These discussions will deepen alongside future technological progress, and the boundary between robots and humans may gradually blur.
