When Megaman is about to shoot Wily...

[CyberXIII]

Wily is about the most dangerous man in the world.  His rebellions have cost billions of lives and trillions of dollars in property damage.  Wouldn't killing him save many more lives?

I ask because Mega Man wasn't allowed to shoot Wily thanks to the "Robot must not harm a human being" rule.  Wouldn't a robot come to the conclusion that killing one life would save billions more?

[keiang]

I assume that Mega's primary ruleset disallows him from killing humans entirely and that he cannot adapt the way he thinks (unlike X).

Of course, this is all just speculation, so you might want to get Zan.

[Zan]

Asimov is not Rockman.

[Blackhook]

Jeezz Megaman doesn´t even want to kill the RM´s and you expect him to kill Wily? Bad CyberXIII !

[VixyNyan]

Proto Man: "Naive as always... Do what you want then!"

[Gotham Ranger]

It'd be nice if the american version didn't translate that final bit of dialogue like complete ass. I somehow doubt Rock was all "DIE WILLY!!!!!" at the end of Rock 7 in japanese.

[Dr. Wily II]

At that part in the Japanese game, Rockman just goes "...".

[Blackhook]

Capcom of America was doing the reverse 4Kids thing

[Gotham Ranger]

Edgy and grimdark?

[Satoryu]

i thought the Die Wily deal was pretty badass, actually. especially seeing how much of a pussy he is everywhere else.

[Tickle Buffalo]

Edgy and grimdark?

IT IS THE XTH DECADE, AND THERE IS ONLY WAR.

(Rock's an Ultramarine, how lame.)

[Gotham Ranger]

i thought the Die Wily deal was pretty badass, actually. especially seeing how much of a pussy he is everywhere else.

Get Out

[Satoryu]

badass in an absurd way that makes me laugh.

[Zechs]

Asimov is not Rockman.

Maybe not, but there are indications of such not expressed.

i thought the Die Wily deal was pretty badass, actually. especially seeing how much of a pussy he is everywhere else.

Wasn't that phrasing in MM7 only in the Localized version?

[Align]

Asimov is not Rockman.

It's IN Megaman (the series, not the robot) though, so I would be surprised if they didn't use his laws, or more likely some equivalent, for their robots.

[Satoryu]

Wasn't that phrasing in MM7 only in the Localized version?

yeah. in Japan, he stayed silent and began charging his lazer. which is actually even more badass than the US change.

[Fragman]

Inafune is a fan of Tezuka and it shows in his writing.  It's pretty clear that Tezuka was also a fan of Asimov, so I think it's fair to say that some Asimov worked its way in.  Asimov himself proposed the 0th law of robotics stating that the survival of humanity as a whole overrides the value of a single human life.  Though any robot capable of coming to this conclusion would either completely burn out its brain trying to resolve this issue before acting, or if advanced enough, just after.

Megaman's hesitation did kind of make it seem like he was starting to lock up.  I think firing would have probably killed him as well as Wily.  Compared to classic Megaman, X and the reploids based on his design were unique for having no laws and rather free will to decide.  It's kind of hinted at in Megaman Power Battles when Dr. Light talks about how robots need more advanced AI to resolve difficult issues.  I think the idea behind X was to replace the Asimov laws with a form of artificial conscience, thus instilling robots with a sense of empathy for living things and each other.

[Acrosurge]

I think the idea behind X was to replace the Asimov laws with a form of artificial conscience, thus instilling robots with a sense of empathy for living things and each other.

I like this thought.  After all, Asimov was a fool.  And a good writer.

[Zan]

Classic series robots were never bound by Asimov's laws. Sure, Light cited the first rule of robotics. That does not mean these laws are hard-coded, it only means you shouldn't make killer robots. Rockman robots work with a conscience, not with Asimov. If Rock kills a human, he's going to feel very very very guilty. You know, like a human would.

[Flame]

cue super adventure rockman's exploding helicopters

[Blackhook]

cue super adventure rockman's exploding helicopters

What with them? They weren´t shot down or anything

[Bag of Magic Food]

I CAN SEE THEIR PARACHUTES

[Gauntlet101010]

I think the fandom puts more emphasis on Asimov's laws than the creators do.  Technically, just shooting at Wily's contraptions in every single MM games puts a human at risk - Wily himself.  Hell, every time the weakness is the glass of Wily's own cockpit!  You are shooting *directly at Wily*.  This puts him in harm's way because his contraptione exploding has the potential to harm the occupant inside.  So ... MM actively violates Asimov's first rule in every single game.

In terms of Asimov's laws, a robot wouldn't be able to harm a human in order to help another human.  It could use itself to physically shield one from the other, or restrain one perhapse, but not to harm one.  

In terms of Megaman himself, I think the game shows the hesitation in MM.  I don't think he would have done it, ultimately.  After all, he wouldn't need to charge up to kill Wily.  A few "pew pew pew"s to the head and Wily's toast, I'd say.

[The Great Gonzo]

I don't buy the "Asimov's Three Laws in Megaman" thing, either.

What I think Wily was getting at is, "If you shoot me, the penalties will be far harsher than if you were a human." It could go one of two ways if Megaman killed him--either the higher-ups would think he was dangerous (what's to stop him from shooting anyone else?) and have him shut down, or they would be impressed and put him in more dangerous situations, believing his lack of hesitation to be a boon. Either way, Megaman is screwed.

[RMX]

Considering Wily intends to take over the world with robots, I don't think people take Asimov seriously in the Classic universe.

IT IS THE XTH DECADE, AND THERE IS ONLY WAR.

(Rock's an Ultramarine, how lame.)

FEAR NOT THE ROBOT MASTER TO LIVE