E14. "Give The Robot The Impossible Job!" - Can teaching methods go too far when murder is on the line?

STORY SUMMARY: In the distant future where all teaching is done by robots, a robot is given a special chance. If it can teach a little girl that is showing early warnings of becoming a killer when she grows up, it can be retired to the robot equivalent of heaven. If it fails, it will be decommissioned. The robot has access to all teaching methodologies and determines the only way to change the girls behavior is to give her the most extremes examples of her killing ideas, so as to offend even the little girl’s morals. After several attempts it doesn’t appear to be working, until an actual killer breaks into her house and nearly kills her own mother.DISCUSSION: Assuming the “go so extreme it offends everyone teaching technique really works, should it be used? Should you expose budding killers to crimes so horrible it offends even them? Are there some teaching techniques that are off limits, even if they actually work. Is it okay to fail at teaching someone to break a thought process, knowing that failure will cause them to go to jail, or hurt others?BOOK LINK: Download the accompanying short story here.MAGAZINE: Sign up for our monthly magazine and receive short stories that ask ethical and philosophical questions.SUPPORT: Support us on Patreon.FOLLOW: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook