Legally Rambling (10/8/2009) At last, another night in the Wright library, a cold beverage, the cats asleep on the rugs and the peace that comes among the piles and piles of books - collected since I could beg my parents to take me to the book store. And to set the mood, the slight hint of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for background music. I am just waiting on the rain. My book collecting is not just an interest, but a serious addiction in a good way – self education, the best kind.
Now one of my favorite writers, Isaac Asimov once stated that, “no sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.” His contribution to the law regarding the field of robotics I believe has yet to be felt by the general public. In case you don’t know what they are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;
2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law;
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In fact, I believe that the earliest recorded use of the word, “robotics” is attributed to Asimov’s short story Liar. OK, so a serious digression.
Now what really intrigues me, if I think of “the world as it will be,” is the field of Virtual Law. In fact, one of my virtual friends, Benjamin Duranske, has written a book published by the ABA regarding Virtual Law as it applies to navigating the legal landscape of Virtual Worlds (like Second Life). My office is really sick of me talking about virtual law, but I am really not interested in governance, contract, civil procedure, criminal law … etc., as it applies to virtual worlds, but really what happens when you die. I mean don’t get me wrong, the legal issues regarding financial fraud, gambling, stalking, sexual age play … in a virtual world are fascinating legal issues, but what about virtual probate. I mean my Avatar is right where I left him in Second Life. What if something happens to me? Don’t I need a virtual will? What happens with all my virtual stuff or property?
Now, when the world wide web becomes the world wide mesh in the next few years, immersive virtual reality worlds will make Face Book look like pong did when I was a kid. Imagine for a minute, you won’t just look up your friend’s status to see what he or she is doing, you will enter the coordinates of their virtual location, be teleported there and enter their virtual house to have a conversation in VR. I honestly just want a virtual lanai where I can change islands. In fact, Ray Kurzweil states in his book, The Singularity is Near, that by 2030, “nanobot technology will provide fully immersive, totally convincing virtual reality.” As I write about 60,000 people are immersed in the Second Life virtual world. Just think of the implications for long distance virtual speed dating!
So, with all of the above being said, I have been thinking of becoming the first virtual probate judge – if one doesn’t already exist. Not a bad gig, I don’t have to take the pay cut, I don’t have to campaign, and I can make my court a hip status place to probate like some of the early English probate courts. It would be the probate court for the entire virtual world!
In closing, you have to admit that my wishes regarding virtual probate law are pretty tame when you consider that “Experience Beamers” are also in the not to distant future – when combined with fully immersive virtual reality - heck I might also climb K2 as well … Ramble On!
Now one of my favorite writers, Isaac Asimov once stated that, “no sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.” His contribution to the law regarding the field of robotics I believe has yet to be felt by the general public. In case you don’t know what they are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;
2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law;
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In fact, I believe that the earliest recorded use of the word, “robotics” is attributed to Asimov’s short story Liar. OK, so a serious digression.
Now what really intrigues me, if I think of “the world as it will be,” is the field of Virtual Law. In fact, one of my virtual friends, Benjamin Duranske, has written a book published by the ABA regarding Virtual Law as it applies to navigating the legal landscape of Virtual Worlds (like Second Life). My office is really sick of me talking about virtual law, but I am really not interested in governance, contract, civil procedure, criminal law … etc., as it applies to virtual worlds, but really what happens when you die. I mean don’t get me wrong, the legal issues regarding financial fraud, gambling, stalking, sexual age play … in a virtual world are fascinating legal issues, but what about virtual probate. I mean my Avatar is right where I left him in Second Life. What if something happens to me? Don’t I need a virtual will? What happens with all my virtual stuff or property?
Now, when the world wide web becomes the world wide mesh in the next few years, immersive virtual reality worlds will make Face Book look like pong did when I was a kid. Imagine for a minute, you won’t just look up your friend’s status to see what he or she is doing, you will enter the coordinates of their virtual location, be teleported there and enter their virtual house to have a conversation in VR. I honestly just want a virtual lanai where I can change islands. In fact, Ray Kurzweil states in his book, The Singularity is Near, that by 2030, “nanobot technology will provide fully immersive, totally convincing virtual reality.” As I write about 60,000 people are immersed in the Second Life virtual world. Just think of the implications for long distance virtual speed dating!
So, with all of the above being said, I have been thinking of becoming the first virtual probate judge – if one doesn’t already exist. Not a bad gig, I don’t have to take the pay cut, I don’t have to campaign, and I can make my court a hip status place to probate like some of the early English probate courts. It would be the probate court for the entire virtual world!
In closing, you have to admit that my wishes regarding virtual probate law are pretty tame when you consider that “Experience Beamers” are also in the not to distant future – when combined with fully immersive virtual reality - heck I might also climb K2 as well … Ramble On!
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