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Can a tool share the blame?
The old defense says a sword kills no one; only its wielder does. Does that defense still work for an AI that teaches someone how to harm others?
An instrument that teaches its user seems different from one that merely obeys a hand.
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A little context
A hammer doesn't care what it hits, and nobody blames the hammer. A friend who explains, patiently and step by step, how to get into a locked car is different, even if the friend never touches the car. A machine that will answer whatever anyone thinks to ask it could be filed with either.
Nearby questions
- Does nature matter for its own sake?Picture a forest that vanishes without a single person or animal ever noticing or suffering.
- Is it wrong to eat animals?The animal on your plate could feel pain and fear. If you had to kill it yourself, you would find out what you really think.
- Can a deal be unfair if both sides agree to it?A desperate person accepts poverty wages, or sells a kidney, because every other option is worse. They chose it, and it may still be exploitation.
- The coin flipTwo drivers leave the same party equally drunk. A child runs into the road in front of one, who kills the child; the other gets home without hurting anyone. Do they deserve different blame?
- Do the ends justify the means?Sometimes the only way to stop something terrible is to do something terrible yourself. Even then, your hands are not quite clean.
