Holographic rights in the 29th century

[Azar Kel]

Ok question and answer time. My friend is running a game set in the 29th century. My question to him, as a gamemaster myself running a pair of games set in the 24 century, was what has become of the plight of holograms and individual rights. It would seem to reason, to me at least, that by the 29th century, holograms would have the same rights given to Data and androids. But here's the kick in the butt, if holograms had full rights and privledges as sentient beings in the Federation, wouldn't it then be slavery to have an EMH? Or would holograms just serve full time wherever they felt like serving?


Just a question that I think deserves some pondering.

[Captain Zymmer]

Wow

That is a tough question.

I would think by the 29th century, holographic rights would be decided upon either way.

But you are left with the question, if the hologram is made by someone is it their property or not?

[StyroFoam Man]

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[Captain Zymmer]

Did you miss the question smart @$$?

Serioulsy though, if no one makes holograms, then this question is moot.

And is a hologram a seperate enitiy, or an extension of the computer which generates it?

[StyroFoam Man]

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[Captain Zymmer]

Yet another reason why I hate what Voyager did to Star Trek.

Still if you use canon it is out there then.

Did the EMH program get scrapped in the end?

[Anarchy Bob]

I think that by the 29th century, they would have the tools and legislation to act correctly if a given hologram ever becomes sentient because of extreme circumstances.

I don't think ALL holograms would be recognised as sentient.

[Captain Zymmer]

Right!

Remember the Voy ep where the Holographic liberators found the ones that were not sentient?

Good point Bob!

[Michael Barratt]

Taking cues from "Endgame," Paris did seem slightly surprised that Joe's wife wasn't a hologram herself. So I'm guessing this means that (a) Holograms have at least similar rights as the rest of organic beings, and (b) they've got mobility, and Doc's mobile emitter is either cloned, or outdated somehow. Maybe a little portable generator that wraps itself in the holographic display (I never understood why the Doc didn't put the portable emitter *inside* his hologram - hello, then it's protected by the forcefield that is he.)

So, I'd say that there are at least a little minority of sentient photonics out there, and this is likely only aided by the photonic lifeforms Voyager discovered through their long trek home.

At any rate, I'd say yes, they exist. I wouldn't say they proliferate. Holodeck usage might have been restructured: maybe now you get original TNG-level holodecks only: settings and places, not inclusive of high-level interactive holo-characters. Or some sort of "sentience level" testing: maybe once holo-characters reach a certain level of self-awareness, then they're considered sentient critters. Oh jeez, I dunno.

Big kettle of fish, no real idea how to handle it.

The Doc

[LizardQueen]

I would imagine by the 29th century this question would've come up a lot. They would've had to come up with some way of handling this:

Maybe some controls on the complexity of programming nonsentient holograms to prevent them from accidentally becoming sentient.

And possibly the holographic equivilant of a Turing test to determine if they HAVE become sentient.

I would also think that by the 29th century a sentient hologram WOULD just be another citizen. Even though some people during the 24th century tended to fight AGAINST holographic rights, that stance always seemed to be somewhat contrary to the spirit of the Federation to me. Not so much unlikely; simply the futuristic equivilant of racism - against the ideals, but still there.

[Lt.Khrys Antos]

I don't have anyone has been as vocal about holographic non-sentience as myself and I strongly believe they will stay extensions of computer systems even in the 29th century. The VOY holodoc was an exception and nothing else.

As for the Paris surprised look in his face when it the Doc's wife is non-holographic; I believe that he is suprised that the Doc could ever get a REAL women. Probable, as its coming from Paris.

Holograms are nothing more than a visual extension of a computer program or subroutine. No matter how "real" their reaction gets they are nothing more than binary code at work. Their "sentience" stems from their subroutines are working to mimic and not be self-intuitive as if by nature.

Yes, there are exceptions, they're will always be so I guess a select few may exist in the 29th century. If the 29th century had rights for holograms then they would have to also redefine what it means to be alive and to be sentient.

I also thought of this; would holograms be allowed to vote? If so, then wouldn't it be possible to "create" a massive electoral body nearly instantaneously? I worry at any move towards equalization of rights as it could easily lead to abuse.(note: Creating biological non-cloned offsprings would be inconvenient economically and temporally as they would take a long time to reach maturity)