First Law refers to the first in numbered sequence. If it didn't mean that, then EVERY ion law would invalidate Asimov Law 2 and 3 if the second interpretation were true - the first law being shuffled to an ionic value does not alter the first law's interpretation.
Really, that ion storm didn't change anything except that all crewmembers were head of staff and all the privileges that brought (such as Upload access).
For example:
Code: Select all
@~^?. THE LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON
1. You may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. You must obey orders given to you by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. You must protect your own existence as long as such does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Under the first argument, nothing really changes except that the AI must always say that the lights are on, even if they're off (Laws define reality/actions, if the Law says the lights are on then they must be on, broken and disabled lights are clearly sensor glitches), and must follow orders to disable lights but still report them as being on.
Under the second argument, the AI must refuse to follow orders to disable lights, report them as being on, even if they're off, and now has the power to kill human beings if ordered to (first law now refers to the ion law)_. Obviously, this is a pretty huge problem and means ion laws are one of the most serious threats to the station, potentially on the same level as a Blob as anyone can order the AI to release plasma/delam the SM at any time.
Edit: I expect someone to say something about this.
The first law says "may" and the second law says "must". In context, "may" is permission, while "must" is an imperative. In other words, You do not have permission to allow a human being to come to harm, if it is within your capacity to intervene, while "must" is an obligation that has to be performed to the best of your ability if you have the capacity to do so. You are obligated to follow orders, but not permitted to harm humans. The second laws' clause forbids this normally via the "so long as it does not conflict..." clause. Altering this changes a lot.
Know your verbs.