1. In the Bicentenial Man, a robot named Andrew, at first is not intelligent, but after he is ordered to jump out of the window by Amanda, he becomes “intelligent”. In the beginning Andrew is just a robot. He really doesn’t under stand meanings, just ordered words. He would not pass the turing test, because he would not be able to answer like a human, yet. For example, Sir tells Andrew “good night”. Andrew interprets this saying as if it was a beautiful night. However, after Andrew jumps out of the window, he has certain human characteristics such as creativity and imagination. For example, Andrew carves a wooden figure for little miss, out of his own creativity. Most people would believe Andrew would never be able to pass the turing test, because robots, at least in that time, do not have “intelligence” like humans. But Andrew does, and little miss and Sir believe this. I think Andrew does become intelligent because he is learning and growing, and because he uses his own mind and understands things humans would.

2. I think robots should be considered alive, if they are like Andrew, but if the robot is just like a regular robot, that does not understand concepts like humans do and they can not think on their own about things that were not programmed already, they would just be “appliances”. This difference would be important to humans, as well as the robot. To the robot it would be like freedom, and their ability to be accepted. To a human it would be almost as if considering the robot an equal to them. Being alive versus being just an appliance would be important for society. In the movie, little miss and Sir believe Andrew is alive because of his unique characteristics different to a robot, but Dennis, the robot manufacturer, believes Andrew is just an appliance that can be thrown away or fixed if needed to. He sees no importance to them.

3. Since Andrew started off as a robot that would not pass the turing test, I think he should be able to be owned, because he was initially created to help and provide for humans. If Andrew was able to be free and make his own decisions, no one really knows the outcome of such ability. It could either be a good thing, or a detrimental thing, that only with giving a robot such ability will one know the outcome. Thus, in theory, it is a risk, that may or may not be a risk humans can take for a robot to be free. In the movie, Little Miss, after some time, believes Andrew should be free because she knows he is unique and humanistic in character. However, Sir at first does not think Andrew should be free because he does not understand such concepts. Most robots are not free in the movie.

4. A human should be able to marry an intelligent robot, if they are truly in love and if the robot can provide for the human like, at least to the partners needs, like a human can. I believe, even if a robot cannot be a human they should be allowed to marry. In the movie, Andrew ad Porsche wish to marry, but the government of that time do not think they should, since Andrew is not a human and because most people (humans) would see the marriage as unfair.

5. I think robots, even if they have true AI, should only be considered to have the same rights as a human being. They should not be a human, because they do not have the same mechanical buildup as a human, such as true heart, flesh, and brain. They were not born like humans. In the movie, Porsche believes he should be a human so that the two can marry. Most people, especially in the movie, do not want Andrew to become a human because it would then become unjust if Andrew gets all the benefits of a human but also gets to live forever.

6. I think AI will be a good thing if it ends up like bicentennial man. I do not want it to be like Flatline where robots have essentially taken over the world, making humans obsolete. At least in Bicenntenial man, people have choices and do things individually away from robots.