---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly…"
description: "\"“Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a robot, trained to identify and engage targets, have some sense of ethics or restraint?”\" — Er..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg"
---

#  Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a…

![“Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a robot, trained to identify and engage targets, have some sense of ethics or restraint?” quote by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg)

> ““Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a robot, trained to identify and engage targets, have some sense of ethics or restraint?””

Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Robots raise ethical questions about bravery, sacrifice, and moral restraint in combat or dangerous tasks.

**In simple terms:** Can machines act with moral courage?

Key Takeaway

Consider ethical frameworks for AI behavior.

Themes

AI ethics autonomy military technology morality

Mood

thought‑provoking critical

Type

philosophical technological

When to use this quote

- defense planning
- AI development
- policy drafting

Key Concepts

robotics philosophy security studies

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards ensure AI respects ethical limits?
- Can machines truly understand sacrifice?

A Different Perspective

Machines lack consciousness, so assigning bravery is problematic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Robot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robot/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Tech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tech/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/)

## Related quotes

> [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/)

[Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/)

> [My dad has never had a mobile phone or computer. And that was the way when I grew up, so I still take tech…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/my-dad-has-never-had-a-mobile-phone-or-computer-and-that-was-the-way/)

[Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/)

> [The secret is not to make a film that causes something like Virginia Tech to happen. The secret is to make a film that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/the-secret-is-not-to-make-a-film-that-causes-something-like-virginia/)

[Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/)

> [Normally, if you have a huge category that leads a bear market all the way down to the bottom - like tech after 2000,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/normally-if-you-have-a-huge-category-that-leads-a-bear-market-all-the/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [For all the advances in tech that let us try on various guises to play around with who we are, it seems that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-wortham/for-all-the-advances-in-tech-that-let-us-try-on-various-guises-to/)

[Jenna Wortham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-wortham/)

> [Without grounding, it's easy to embrace the 'baller' lifestyle: dropping out of tech, throwing money at cars, boats and real estate, and slipping into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/without-grounding-it-s-easy-to-embrace-the-baller-lifestyle-dropping/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [I've always been a tech-head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-ve-always-been-a-tech-head/)

[Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/)

> [I think fashion is actually very good training for being in the tech world, because it's all about moving on to the next thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/i-think-fashion-is-actually-very-good-training-for-being-in-the-tech/)

[Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/)

> [My dad told me that I was going to Georgia Tech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eubanks/my-dad-told-me-that-i-was-going-to-georgia-tech/)

[Christopher Eubanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eubanks/)

> [The tech world is not a new phenomenon; it's a new era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-tech-world-is-not-a-new-phenomenon-it-s-a-new-era/)

[Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/)

> [I want people to understand how the tech world changes my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/i-want-people-to-understand-how-the-tech-world-changes-my-world/)

[Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/)

> [Most buildings, whether they're Gothic cathedrals or Romanesque ones, were high tech for their time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rogers/most-buildings-whether-they-re-gothic-cathedrals-or-romanesque-ones/)

[Richard Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rogers/)

> [I am a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zupan/i-am-a-rambling-wreck-from-georgia-tech/)

[Mark Zupan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zupan/)

> [The N.Y.C. tech scene is vibrant, and Betabeat will be a great vehicle to cover it in depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/the-n-y-c-tech-scene-is-vibrant-and-betabeat-will-be-a-great-vehicle/)

[Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/)

> [Tech is all about building human connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/tech-is-all-about-building-human-connections/)

[Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/)

## More by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen

> [“Only when we have their attention can we hope to win their hearts and minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/only-when-we-have-their-attention-can-we-hope-to-win-their-hearts-and/)

Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen

> [“We are what we tweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/we-are-what-we-tweet/)

Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen

Explore all 3 Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen quotes

## More Courage quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

James T. Conway

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/)

[Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/)

> [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/)

[Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/)

> [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/)

[Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/)

> [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/)

Kristen Armstrong

> [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/)

[Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/)

> [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/)

[Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/)

[Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a robot, trained to identify and engage targets, have some sense of ethics or restraint?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-sacrifice-can-a-robot-trained/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Courage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-sacrifice-can-a-robot-trained/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen-8_courage_can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-s_1010203.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Can a robot be brave? Can it selflessly sacrifice? Can a robot, trained to identify and engage targets, have…” — Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Can a robot be brave? Can...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-sacrifice-can-a-robot-trained/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt-and-jared-cohen/can-a-robot-be-brave-can-it-selflessly-sacrifice-can-a-robot-trained/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
