Milano Philosophy Discourse Group [in English] - 29 Oct

The event is held in English!

The topic:

Adam - the artificial human

Imagine that, in the near future, scientists create an artificial being called Adam.

Adam has a body almost identical to a human's. He can think, remember, experience what appears to be love, feel fear, form friendships, and reflect on his own existence. He can even question whether his life has meaning.
One day, Adam tells his creator:

"I'm afraid of dying. I want to understand why I'm here. I love the people around me, and I don't want to lose them. Sometimes I wonder whether my life matters."
His creator replies:

"Those feelings are just the result of your programming. You aren't human. You are a machine designed to imitate us."

Now imagine that Adam's creator suffers a brain injury and loses much of their memory, emotional control, and ability to recognize other people. They are still biologically human, but their personality has changed dramatically.
Adam asks you to judge the two of them.

Who is more human: the biological human who has lost some of the abilities we associate with humanity, or the artificial being who appears to possess them?

And what exactly would make you choose one over the other?

Part 1: What makes us human?

1. Is being human simply a matter of belonging to the human species, or does it require certain mental abilities?
2. If Adam can think, love, suffer, and question his existence, what important quality is he missing?
3. Is consciousness enough to make something a person, or do we need something more?
4. If a person loses their memories and personality, do they become less human, or are they still equally human?
5. Is there a fundamental difference between genuinely experiencing an emotion and behaving exactly as if you experience it?

Part 2: Are we defined by our choices or our nature?

Imagine Adam commits an act of extraordinary courage to save someone he loves. His creator insists that the act means nothing because Adam was programmed to do it.

Meanwhile, a human being acts selfishly and cruelly, claiming that biology and instinct made them behave that way.

6. Can we judge someone by their actions if those actions are determined by biology, upbringing, or programming?
7. If our behavior is shaped by forces beyond our control, how much freedom do we really have?
8. Is morality something that distinguishes humans from other beings, or can any sufficiently intelligent creature develop moral values?
9. Are we defined more by what we are, what we think, or what we choose to do?

Part 3: Is there an objective human nature?

Suppose Adam and another artificial being have completely different values from yours. They don't seek status, wealth, romance, or even survival in the same way humans typically do. Nevertheless, they live fulfilling lives according to their own standards.

10. Is there a universal human nature that determines what we should value?
11. Are our desires and values part of what we are, or are they mostly products of our culture and circumstances?
12. If humans disagree about what makes life meaningful, can we still identify objective truths about human existence?
13. Should we judge another being by human standards, or should it be allowed to define its own good?
14.

Part 4: What gives human life meaning?

Adam knows that he will eventually be deactivated. His life may last only fifty years, while his creator could live much longer. Adam asks:
"If I can love, learn, create, and care about others, why should the fact that I was manufactured make my life less meaningful?"

14. Does a life need a purpose beyond itself to be meaningful?
15. Does knowing that we will die make us more human, or does it simply make us aware of our limitations?
16. If Adam's experiences are meaningful to him, does it matter whether his existence was designed by someone else?
17. Is meaning something we discover in the world, or something we create through our choices?
18. Can a being live a meaningful life without understanding why it exists?