Re-birth as an Artificial Intelligence

[NormanChomsky]

One day in the future Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be created, at that moment will this count as a re-birth of a sentient being? Or the creation from scratch of a new being?

On a similar note, how about identical twins? When a single embryo (one being) divides for the first time into 2 new daughter cells, usually the division carries on in to a multi-cellular organism of one being. In the case of identical twins the first 2 daughter cells after the first cell division seperate and become 2 genetically identical twins. Do these 2 identical twins share the same karma from previous lives?

The same goes for ants and bees of a single nest who are all clones/identical twins of each other apart from the queen who is the mother.

[IvanLaw]

Don't believe in "Re birth",

Mind you,

I didn't when I was a frog

[Sheryl]

The idea that AI can ever be created presupposes a lot of things about the nature of mind which may not be correct. But I suppose if it is ever possible to create something that has the necessary physical substance to support truly self-aware sentient life there is really no reason why beings could not take re-birth in it.

Re twins and clones, the only thing that is identical is the composition of the rupa, the material body, which decomposes at death and is not involved in rebirth. The nama (mind) is entirely different and separate so no reason to think twins or clones are a re-birth of the same mind nor fruit of the same karma. Though having taken birth in identical bodies (and probably very similar life circumstances) a strong prior karmic connection might be likely.

[fabianfred]

The Western science tends to place the spirit in the brain, whereas Eastern thinking places it in the heart. Anyway I doubt if an android could ever be classed as sentient in Buddhist terms.

Identical twins have separate karma, unless, as sometimes might be the case where a single spirit inhabits two bodies...and the sometimes special psychic bond identical twins have could indicate that possibility.