Commentary: absent logic-based precision, Hancock’s desired avoidance is just wishful thinking

Abstract

Without bringing to bear the precision that only formal logic can provide, seeking to avoid adverse behavior on the part of any type of artificial agent, however otherwise commendable, is simply proto-scientific wishful thinking. In particular, absent a formal definition specifically of “autonomous artificial computational agent,” the category of creature Hancock tries to place centrally before us, mere intuitive discussion in natural language, accompanied by intuitive diagrams (such as Hancock’s impressionistic Figure 2), however otherwise elegant, is, at least as I see matters, thoroughly otiose.