Or better say, if you were not egoistic in a jungle (=would not grab passing by you food, would not store more than you need - just for rainy day, etc) your chanses to survive would be less than of "more egoistic" person. So, it is genetically built-in. As well as anger, love, etc - they also help to survive in jungle.

Do robots HAVE to have those rudiments of jungle evolution? I think, not - there is no need in them in civilized society. But can society be 100% moral? Of course, not - resources are always limited, thus there is always a way of getting more at the expense of others. Will self-programming robots learn those ways? You betcha.

So, even if we, humans will not program ego (=self-presevation), greed, anger, love, etc. - computerobots will develop emotions themselves in competition with each other for resources (remember, evolution is basicly "survival of the sinniest"). Many unusual for humans new emotions with groving complexity will naturally emerge and develop in cybercivilization.

• If that is what You mean by ego, then maybe so - quiet - January 6, 2002 - 20:54 UTC
  • I want to say that ego is what nature calls self-preservation. - alexander - January 8, 2002 - 00:07 UTC
    • Well, many of us are glad you realized that would not say much - spazcon - January 8, 2002 - 04:16 UTC
      • I wanted to say that definition of "ego" depends on society. - alexander - January 8, 2002 - 18:33 UTC