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From: plugge@cs.rulimburg.nl (Leo Plugge)
Subject: Re: The Meaning of Life
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References: <34qm2c$ei2@scratchy.reed.edu> <3514ejINNlbm@mendel.sis.pasteur.fr> <plugge.117.2E743174@cs.rulimburg.nl> <8iR9ig_00WB3IuwrUV@andrew.cmu.edu> <1994Sep13.194058.24001@ictv.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 07:44:06 GMT

In article <1994Sep13.194058.24001@ictv.com> tmh@ictv.com (Todd Hoff) writes:

>In article <8iR9ig_00WB3IuwrUV@andrew.cmu.edu>,
>Alan S. Ferrency <af1x+@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
>>Another point made is, do we really need to determine whether these
>>alife systeems are "alive" or not? <snip snip>
<snip snip>

>However alife does not only exist in the domain of researchers, it
>will also exist in the political, social, legal, and ethical domains.
>If the courts determine some form of alife is LIFE then
>won't all legal protections apply? Won't environmentalists or the
>ACLU get involved? This process could have many unintended
>consequences.

>Rather than be a victim of definitions made by others it would seem
>intelligent for the alife community to make a definition of alife
>that would protect researchers in other domains even if a definition
>is not all that useful for researchers.

Now here's a reason to debate the issue. Although, I think, it is not an issue 
that should be discussed in comp.ai[.alife | .philosophy]
It is a typical ethical problem, just like abortion. (please no debate on 
abortion!)

-Leo-
******************************************************************
Dr. L.A. Plugge, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Limburg
plugge@cs.rulimburg.nl          http://www.cs.rulimburg.nl/~plugge
