[Eisenstein]

You made a claim and used a metaphor to demonstrate that claim. I asked a very simple question about the bounds of the metaphor and thus the claim. You are dodging answering the questions which mean that you cannot defend the logic of your claim. Thus you have forfeited that your claim is valid and 'human rights don't automatically apply to machines' has not been illustrated.

[leereeves]

Fortunately I don't care whether you're convinced. I doubt our discussion here will change policy in any way.

[Eisenstein]

What's your strategy for solving problems where there are diverse viewpoints if there is no desire to convince anyone else? Rhetoric is time proven set of communication standards that allow us to demonstrate the validity of our positions and thus gives us a way to find agreement or at least understand what others think. Few people are completely irrational and understanding why they think what they do, even if one does not agree with them, is important in a system where people have to co-exist with the decisions that effect everyone.

Because the alternative would be to just railroad people who don't agree, and even when it does work in one's favor the pendulum tends to swing back hard in response.