For as long as civilization has existed, slavery in its various forms has also existed. These oppressed segments of society can be found in the annals of history; and some, like Oscar Wilde above, argue that it was a necessary evil of civilization. Only in these modern times has much of the world found a reprieve from slavery. And finally humanity recognizes that in reality we are all equal and we all deserve certain immutable rights. Perhaps it is not irrelevant that this change of heart occurred because the man found the perfect slave; a slave who never sleeps, never eats, never complains; a slave totally incapable of open rebellion. It is, as Oscar Wilde said, the "slavery of the machine". relative intelligence. Moore's Law, a prediction made in 1965, states that computer processing power will double every two years (Moore). This prediction-turned-law turned out to be frighteningly true. If this trend continues, some scientists estimate that the processing power of a computer will reach that of the human brain by 2030 (Botezatu). With advances in how our brain works and significant advances in artificial intelligence; we must begin now to ask ourselves the questions that may well arise tomorrow. Does a machine programmed to possess some of those inherent qualities of humanity deserve the same rights and freedoms? Bicentennial Man is a short story written by Isaac Asimov about a robot named Andrew who is little more than a servant of the machine. But by some stroke of luck in the design of Andrew's positronic brain, Andrew gains sentience. His initiation... in the middle of the paper... very dear. Clearly, humans may not always be the strongest species. Throughout history, time and again humanity has rebelled against its oppressors, never content to lie quietly under another's heel. How can everything we create in our image react differently to slavery? Whether it is flesh or circuits, blood or electricity, sentient beings will fight for their rights. Our own history has demonstrated this notion. In the court battle that took place in Bicentennial Man, Andrew Martin said this: "It has been said in this courtroom that only a human being can be free. It seems to me that only someone who desires freedom can be free. I wish for freedom" (qtd. for short). Once an intelligent being has recognized his chains and sees that freedom is something worth fighting for, he has reached a point where he deserves his rights, he deserves his freedom..