> There simply is no point in talking about the morality of inanimate, non-sentient objects.
Agree, and I would add: but they have the legal status of persons, and they invoke human "rights" like the right to own property. They even have the right to freedom of speech (Citizens United). They enlist the political support of naïve voters, asserting government encroachment on these "rights". So they want it both ways: They're machines built to maximize value for shareholders, yet they assert the privileges of citizens too.
Agree, and I would add: but they have the legal status of persons, and they invoke human "rights" like the right to own property. They even have the right to freedom of speech (Citizens United). They enlist the political support of naïve voters, asserting government encroachment on these "rights". So they want it both ways: They're machines built to maximize value for shareholders, yet they assert the privileges of citizens too.