From Robots to Techno Sapiens: Ethics, Law and Public Policy in the Development of Robotics and Neurotechnologies

The specific ethical and legal challenges posed by robotics must be considered within the context of the broader societal impact of emerging technologies. The public is generally fascinated by new technologies, and perceives technology as an engine of both promise and productivity. But there is also considerable disquiet as to whether we are surrendering the future to a juggernaut of change that will decimate cherished values and institutions. This disquiet is evident in the worldwide prohibition on human cloning, restrictions upon the sale of genetically modified foods in the EU, controversy regarding research using embryonic stem cells in the US, and international regulations prohibiting athletes from using human growth hormones and drugs that enhance performance. Technological innovation offers countless rewards, but also poses dangers that are difficult to predict. How will humanity navigate the promise and perils of the bio-tech, info-tech and nanotech revolution? The various fields (genomics, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, information technology and robotics, regenerative medicine, and neuroscience) that are contributing to this revolution overlap and converge. The overlap and convergence of research in neuroscience and artificial intelligence will be given particular attention in this article. Computational neuroscience has become an important tool for revealing information processing properties of various structures within the nervous system. Computer simulations provide laboratories for testing various theories about mental activity. Findings in neuroscience inform strategies for developing discrete cognitive capabilities in AI. The computational theory of mind drives hypotheses regarding the likelihood of reproducing human intelligence artificially. In turn, critics of the contention that mental activity can