[BIO] Further development of a society with no qualms about (ab)using bioroids

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I seriously doubt there's any statistical correlation.

I'm not saying there is, though I'm sure there are many sadists that lure "slaves" into abusive relationships on the pretense of a more "vanilla" slave/master relationship.
I'm all for freedom of adults to engage in whatever type of non-dangerous and even some dangerous types of interactions.
Heck, because of medication, I'm in a monogamous but sexless relationship, and many consider that impossible.
I know TMI and weird thread-drift.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

No qualms sans rationalization doesn't seem very plausible for human societies.

The ancient world managed just fine without needing to do much in the way rationalization of their use of slavery. The question only really arises when you have similarly developed neighbours who don't do it and start getting all on your case about it. At which point you can use rationalizations like

"Well none of them are objecting except for the ones who have some kind of mental illness."

"They'd starve if we didn't feed them"

and

"Don't look at us. It's our grandparents fault. We're just stuck with the system."

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

The ancient world managed just fine without needing to do much in the way rationalization of their use of slavery.

I'd count "We are the only real people", "We stole 'em fair and square, if they didn't want to be slaves their grandparents should of fought better" and "God said it was okay" as rationalizations.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I'd count "We are the only real people", "We stole 'em fair and square, if they didn't want to be slaves their grandparents should of fought better" and "God said it was okay" as rationalizations.

When did they have to use any of those?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

When did they have to use any of those?

The Bible certainly uses "God told us to" and "We stole 'em fair and square." The Greeks definitely used the "Stole 'em fair and square" argument, including the notion that if people weren't able to defend themselves they are better off as slaves.

Slavery in the ancient world was frequently the fate of captives, or of debtors. I can't think of a society that could randomly enslave anyone.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Other than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep/Bladerunner and Transhuman Space, I actually can't think of any examples of biological androids

Since nobody else has mentioned it, I'll point to the foundational work: R.U.R.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

Since nobody else has mentioned it, I'll point to the foundational work: R.U.R.

Of course.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

When did they have to use any of those?

The only real people is historically very relevant. even modern humans need a lot of cultural train to go from "Only I counts < Only my immediate family counts < Only extended family counts < Only my community counts < Only my nation count < Only humans count..."

and even now not everyone make it past the first few steps.

[SuedodeuS]

I've thought up another partial example, although this one is a bit more complicated. The webcomic (I certainly read a lot of those) Haru Sari features elves, most of whom are genetically engineered humans (modified to be extremely capable of magic). The created ones seem to be considered property of the company that made them, although they seem more like second-class citizens than slaves. They have shortened lifespans (hence part of the reason for the comic's name, which means something like "one who lives for a day" in Korean and is the Korean word for the ephemerid/mayfly) and are prone to psychotic episodes if they get off their medication. During such episodes they can legally be executed without most people batting an eye, since they are a) created beings and b) extremely dangerous during such episodes. Even "natural elves" ("freaks of nature instead of miracles of science," as they are called at one point) are susceptible to such executions.

In that, the quasi-slavery seems to be justified by a combination of them being created beings and them being extremely dangerous (to themselves and others) if they aren't properly controlled. Them being second-class is probably at least partially justified by the fact that they look like children (even when they are in their 30's and nearing the ends of their lives). I don't think the general public is particularly aware of naturally-occurring elves, however (although if they are it's probably just something mothers worry about, rather than something resulting in them wanting more equality for the elves - people are scared of them).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Bible certainly uses "God told us to" and "We stole 'em fair and square."

I never noticed anything in the Bible which explained why slavery wasn't wrong. It just seemed to be taken for granted as a part of life.

Slavery in the ancient world was frequently the fate of captives, or of debtors. I can't think of a society that could randomly enslave anyone.

But that is not a rationalization. It's just a reason.