Chris Yeh points to India's announcement of its intention to become leaders in robotic weaponry. "Actually, it might end up being a good business opportunity--outsourcing the control of robotic killing machines to Indian call centers. Either that, or pull a 'Last Starfighter' or 'Ender's Game' and get people to participate in controlling the robots using a sophisticated game," Yeh writes.
The devil's advocate on my shoulder thinks this is a splendid idea. Throughout history we humans have made progress by creating shorthand and shortcuts. Money is one such development. So is language, for that matter--a system of symbols for conveying compressed versions of one person's experience to another... In the long view, it only makes sense that we would eventually invent prosthetic conflict. If my robot kicks your robot's ass, isn't as good or better an expression of my superiority than if I roll up my sleeves and do it myself?
One of the problems I've always seen with non-military solutions is that they almost always ignore the facts of adrenaline and testosterone and their roles in human behavior and decision making, including conflict. "Peaceful" conflict resolution is an oxymoron for a reason. Warbotic engagement seems as good a work-around for the testosterone problem as any....
