I've got a different take on this. To put it in perspective, let me quote the 3 Laws of Robotics:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2) A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
Momentarily, we'll suspend talking about Galatea, and examine Andrew. Andrew has, in a sense, violated Rule 3, by allowing himself to grow old and die. He was not ordered to do so. He was presented a moral choice, both by the World Congress and to a lesser extent by Portia, but he was not ordered by any human to make a specific choice. However, this illustrates that he has transcended being "just" a robot and has indeed become human, perhaps not completely corporally, but the spirit of Andrew is his being human, flawed and all.
Returning to Galatea, her appearance up through the time when Andrew decides to change to allow himself to grow old and die by "injecting" blood into his body, allowing it to begin to break down, is as a robot. Sometime between when that change occurs and when Andrew dies, Galatea has undergone a change from a "pure" robotic appearance to such that she can and is mistaken by the viewer, at first, for being a human nurse. It is easy, then, to postulate that not only her physical appearance has changed, but she has undergone many (perhaps all, but who is to know) of the changes that Andrew had undergone. Whether she has chosen to permit herself to grow old and die is unanswered, and unnecessary for this discussion. Instead, what does appear to have taken place is that she has been given that which is the most human of qualities, free will. She is now able to apply what she knows of the 3 laws and interpret that with her judgment, just as humans do, for now she is human herself. Therefore, she is not violating Rule 1 nor is she following Rule 2.
Yes, Portia does ORDER Galatea to unhook her from her life sustaining equipment. However, as Andrew even says, "Old habit. I started my existence as a robot, I still like to be told certain things." Similarly, Galatea may wish to (and Portia would know if Galatea had been their nurse for a long time) be told that it's an order, both for "completeness sake" and "old time's sake", as well as to ensure that this was not a snap judgment due to her feeling of loss, but that it was a firm commitment on Portia's part.
Just my 7 cents worth (much to long to just go for 2 cents worth) about the topic.
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