Star Wars ethics: Let's talk about "wiping" the memory of a sentient droid

[Orrex]

As Senator Jimmy Smits did to C-3PO at the end of EPIII. Is this murder, or what?

It's especially cruel because he orders the brain-wipe so casually, right in front of the fussy, gold protocol droid!

[JTG of the PRB]

1. An acceptable sacrifice.

C-3PO knew too much. You think he really could have held up under Imperial information extraction? R2-D2, maybe, but 3PO? He'd blow the whole cover regarding where Yoda and Obi-Wan were hiding, and then it would be curtains for the whole lot of the surviving Jedi!

C-3PO's memories were an acceptable sacrifice... At least to me. Maybe that makes me... evil? :evilgrin:

[crimsonblue]

2. machines created at the leasure of humans

.. i dont know where I was going with that. but no.

[Danger Mouse]

3. A necessary evil. 3PO would not stand up to interrogation, most likely.

[leeroysphitz]

4. If I make it I'm allowed to break it. Sentient or not.

Oh. Except for my kids... :)

[Downtown Hound]

5. Blame it on The Force

Obviously the whole saga was some kind of master plan by The Force. 3P0 played his part as he was supposed to. If he had known about Darth Vader when he first met Luke, he would have blown the whole thing.

[Dr. Strange]

6. Why 3PO and not R2?

That's my question.

[Solon]

11. Because R2D2 was the secret leader of the Rebellion...

duh, I thought everybody knew that! :P

http://www.morningstar.nildram.co.uk/A_New_Sith.html

[Lady Freedom]

12. I don't thing option "C" was needed in Leia's case at all!

She was DEFINITELY her mother's daughter!

[Dr. Strange]

19. Wow.

That's makes more sense than 90% of what Lucas comes up with!

[harmonicon]

7. Doesn't count

This supposed "Episode III" is not Star Wars, and that's all there is too it. These Lucas cultural abortions are no more Star Wars than it would be Star Wars if I filmed sock puppets with works like "Jedi" and "Mickledycreepmook" on them and had them fight over a soundtrack of dog farts. Anakin Skywalker did not build C-3PO, he was not the result of immaculate conception, the force does not have something to do with some blood voodoo bullshit, and technology wasn't more advanced in the past than it is in the present. POOP POOP POOP.

[pokerfan]

8. Anakin is about to slaughter the Younglings

I supposes that was evil.

[Captain Angry]

9. C-3PO was defective.

In Episode II, he ended up shooting at Jedis. Now really. His body took control of the battle droid's head and shot at Jedis. His head took control of a battle droid's body and shot at Jedis.

So, he needed a cleaning anyway.

[Lady Freedom]

10. I'm surprised he didn't beg for it after that little episode!

Some things a droid shouldn't have to remember!

[YankeyMCC]

13. I don't mean to derail the topic but - driods are nothin'

Star Trek did it pretty frequently to sentient living beings.

And there was that one time Spock erased Kirk's memory of a lost love - Paradise Syndrome I think it was.

[Orsino]

14. Nerd check: it was "Requiem For Methuselah."

That was done out of love, in a silent f-u to McCoy's rant about how Spock couldn't understand the emotion, or was afraid to.

And Spock was obviously wiping some of the pain, rather than the entire memory of the affair. He saw the hurt that was crippling Kirk, and eased it, in about the most beautiful moment of the series.

[YankeyMCC]

17. I stand

geek corrected! :) Thanks

[Orrex]

15. That's true, but...

Those weren't full brain-wipes. The larger personality was kept intact, minus the problematic memory. You're right, though, in that it's a serious ethical dilemma where it pertains to sentient beings having their memories altered without their knowledge or consent.

However, in Dagger of the Mind, it was stated that the "emptying" of a mind is abominable, and in fact can be fatal to the victim if taken too far.

[Lady Freedom]

16. I have one thing to say to you...

Star Wars RULE!
Star Trek Drools!

[DarkTirade]

18. You'll notice in the extended universe (i.e., the Star Wars books) a lot of the characters

who are known for caring about life and freedom and all that good stuff are very reticent to perform memory wipes on droids. In Luke's case, it gets to the point where R2 has gone so long without a memory wipe that R2 and his X-wing have formed a kind of symbiotic relationship, to the point where other astromech droids can't interface with it properly anymore. Or in the case of some of the smarter, sneakier droids like Whistler, Rogue Squadron pilot and potential jedi Corran Horn's astromech, he uploads backups of his personality onto computers that he regularly interfaces with so he can find them later if his memory gets wiped. :) And Corran has no problem with this, because he values Whistler as his friend, not as a piece of property.

[edbermac]

20. C3PO was the Gilligan of droids.

He was annoying as hell. They should have erased his memory, then welded his mouth shut.

[Pierre.Suave]

21. HAHAHA

Good one.

[Dr. Strange]

22. OKAY, HERE'S THE REASON!!!

Once again, Lucas' brilliance shines like a fiery pile of doggy poo! It all comes down the this scene in ANH: Threepio gets into his oil bath and says, "Thank the maker! This oil bath is going to feel so good."

If Threepio remembered who his maker was, he would have said, "Thank Master Anakin Skywalker! This oil bath is going to feel so good." And you know that would have led Luke to start asking questions, ultimately finding out about his father WAY too early, thus dooming the rebellion.

The brilliance is asymptotically hoopy!