Androids: Humans or Machines?

[BidetoftheDead]

Throughout it's history Sci-fi books, movies, shows and games hammer in the same thing when Androids come up, are they humans or should we just consider them the same to a toaster or a computer?

 

First we must define what is "Human"

 

Is my flesh what makes me human? Is it my organs? Or is it my ability to comprehend things on a different level then other known species of life? To me human is a mental state, it's not what runs us that makes us human.

 

What is an Android?

 

An Android is, to some, a robot though I prefer the term Artificial Human instead. They are created to look like us in every way but their insides are mechanical. They can have the same mental capacity as us and could possibly break their programming to become like us in every way mentally.

 

So the question is, is it right to discriminate simply because they came into this world differently? What right do we have to consider them not equals?

 

What are your feelings on the idea of Androids and Artificial life being allows to have the same capabilities as us?

[BTGBullseye]

I don't care about the body... The mind and soul determine humanity. It could be some box on a desk somewhere, but it could still be human. This would require at least a 'shackled' AI. (as it was described in the Mass Effect series)

[Riley Hawk]

I want a robot friend. I want a friend in general...