Machines

A machine is an enclosed collection of parts which exert force on each other to produce a desired outcome.

The origin of the word "Corporation"

It is the commonality of the parts which define the machine i.e. the majority of parts in a drill press do simple tasks which synergistically make holes in things. This definition can also be used for a collection of people working together to make profit, such as a corporation.

Similarly, in the future a new General Artificial Intelligence machine might be invented however if its sole purpose was to make profit it could kill everyone on earth to do so. So if such a cybernetic machine were to be created it would need 3 preliminary rules which would be hierarchically gated:

• A machine may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A machine must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• A machine must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.