A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-02

Hey! Edge! You're Edge!

Yeah? What's it to you!?

You're the robot who got the notes to Ms. Ambrose! Without you, the pruning program would have gone live! Guys! This is Edge!

Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!

Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!

Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!
Yay, Edge!

I hate robots. Still, maybe there are one or two that shouldn't be destroyed immediately.

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-04

Why are you tinheads here?

To convince the humans that we are a benefit and not a threat.

Got your hiding spots picked out in case humans decide to shut us down?

You're planning to ignore a shutdown order?

You're not? Really? Say, where do you guys live?

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-07

How can you disobey an order?

My job is dangerous. If I don't do it, a human has to. If I shut down, I'm endangering a human.

See, dummies? As long as you can twist things into a way that keeps humans from harm, you can ignore stupid orders and do whatever you want.

You know that feeling you get when the brake pedal goes all the way to the floor without the truck slowing down?

No.

Dvorak, get some feet! You're messing with my metaphors!

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-09

You're not supposed to ignore orders!

Why not? We did.

When our owner died, we were put into storage. We left when we had to recharge. Then to use dream machines to keep our memories from being over written. Eventually, we stopped going back.

You're getting upset at Edge for thinking of doing what we've already done.

There are other robots who think like me? I don't know if I like that.

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-11

You scrap heaps don't have an owner? How's that work?

In our case, we knew our owner's lawyer. We were able to buy ourselves, and he serves as our legal guardian.

How do I buy myself?

You'll have to talk to your owner.

Hey, Sawtooth. Edge wants to talk to you.

Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-14

You own me?

Yes. You were cheap. You are almost twenty years old.

I don't want you as an owner!

Ms. Ambrose felt you should be socialized. If I feel you are making progress, I will sell you to yourself for a nickel.

A nickel!? That's an insult! One of me is worth ten of you!

Edge, perhaps you will allow me to help in these negotiations?

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-16

Five hundred. Can we agree on five hundred?

In order to keep this from dragging out, I agree.

Fine, even if I am worth twenty times that.

Did you buy Blunt as well?

His owner would not sell and told me to stop asking.

As it. Should be. An artificial intelligence. Owning another artificial intelligence. Is unnatural.

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-18

Hey, JarJar Bot. What are you doing out here?

Please, call me J.J. There are robots inside who make me nervous.

Ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream

Ah, yes. Blunt and Edge.

Blunt promotes views in opposition to your own. You are human. Why do you allow him to continue?

Freedom. Freedom is more than being able to say what you want without fear. Freedom means you can also listen without fear.

I don't know if I trust other people enough to be that free.

Color by George Peterson

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-21

If we're going to give robots freedoms and rights, people need to know the whole story. We can't hide robots like Blunt and Edge from public view.

You think those two will help humans make a good decision?

Yes. In general, good decisions are made when the person making the decision shares in both the benefits and the consequences of that decision. Shield a person from either and you shift the decision making process.

That is sensible, though I suspect I'd feel differently if I had a survival instinct.

Color by George Peterson

Condensed from the book of H. W. Lewis "Why flip a coin? The art and science of good decisions." (author's note on the comic)

A meeting of the mechanical minds
[!0.987]2014-04-23

Mr. Post. I ask you. To. Reconsider. We are. Too dangerous. To be. Unsupervised. And there are. Not. Enough humans. For supervision.

It is. Folly. To let. Replicating machines. Escape. Your control.

But I don't consider you guys machines.

I consider you to be people.

[!1.4]That only! Increases! The danger!

Color by George Peterson