Ethics and Artificial Intelligence
Course Overview
Course Overview
This course surveys a number of ethical issues that arise from emerging forms of artificial intelligence. Topics include: superintelligence, existential risk, robot rights, self-driving cars, autonomous weapons, sex/love/friendship robots, privacy, online manipulation, algorithmic bias, and the future of work.
This course surveys a number of ethical issues that arise from emerging forms of artificial intelligence. Topics include: superintelligence, existential risk, robot rights, self-driving cars, autonomous weapons, sex/love/friendship robots, privacy, online manipulation, algorithmic bias, and the future of work.
Course Topics and Readings
Course Topics and Readings
Part One: Moral Machines
Part One: Moral Machines
Superintelligence and Existential Risk
Superintelligence and Existential Risk
Chalmers: “The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis" (sections 1-2)
Chalmers: “The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis" (sections 1-2)
Bostrom: “The Superintelligent Will: Motivation and Instrumental Rationality in Advanced Artificial Agents”
Bostrom: “The Superintelligent Will: Motivation and Instrumental Rationality in Advanced Artificial Agents”
Russell: "Artificial Intelligence: A Binary Approach"
Russell: "Artificial Intelligence: A Binary Approach"
Artificial Moral Agency
Artificial Moral Agency
Anderson: “Asimov's 'Three Laws of Robotics' and Machine Meta-Ethics"
Anderson: “Asimov's 'Three Laws of Robotics' and Machine Meta-Ethics"
Giubilini and Savulescu: "The Artificial Moral Advisor. The 'Ideal Observer' Meets Artificial Intelligence"
Giubilini and Savulescu: "The Artificial Moral Advisor. The 'Ideal Observer' Meets Artificial Intelligence"
Robot Rights
Robot Rights
Bryson: "Robots Should Be Slaves" [Class Debate]
Bryson: "Robots Should Be Slaves" [Class Debate]
Peterson: "Designing People to Serve"
Peterson: "Designing People to Serve"
Schwitzgebel and Marza: "In Defense of the Rights of Artificial Intelligences"
Schwitzgebel and Marza: "In Defense of the Rights of Artificial Intelligences"
Part Two: Applications
Part Two: Applications
Self-Driving Cars
Self-Driving Cars
Thomson: "Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem" & Greene: "Beyond Point and Shoot Morality: Why Neuroscience Matters for Ethics" & Awad et al.: "The Moral Machine Experiment"
Thomson: "Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem" & Greene: "Beyond Point and Shoot Morality: Why Neuroscience Matters for Ethics" & Awad et al.: "The Moral Machine Experiment"
Nyholm: "The Ethics of Crashes with Self-Driving Cars: A Roadmap" & Keeling: “Why Trolley Problems Matter for the Ethics of Automated Vehicles"
Nyholm: "The Ethics of Crashes with Self-Driving Cars: A Roadmap" & Keeling: “Why Trolley Problems Matter for the Ethics of Automated Vehicles"
Autonomous Weapons
Autonomous Weapons
Sparrow: “Killer Robots”
Sparrow: “Killer Robots”
Arkin: "The Case for Ethical Autonomy in Unmanned Systems" & Sharkey: "The Evitability of Autonomous Robot Warfare" [Class Debate]
Arkin: "The Case for Ethical Autonomy in Unmanned Systems" & Sharkey: "The Evitability of Autonomous Robot Warfare" [Class Debate]
Companion Robots
Companion Robots
Levy: “The Ethics of Robot Prostitutes” & Richardson: “The Asymmetrical 'Relationship': Parallels Between Prostitution and the Development of Sex Robots”
Levy: “The Ethics of Robot Prostitutes” & Richardson: “The Asymmetrical 'Relationship': Parallels Between Prostitution and the Development of Sex Robots”
Levy: "Falling in Love with a Companion" & Nyholm and Frank: "From Sex Robots to Love Robots: Is Mutual Love with a Robot Possible?"
Levy: "Falling in Love with a Companion" & Nyholm and Frank: "From Sex Robots to Love Robots: Is Mutual Love with a Robot Possible?"
Danaher: "The Philosophical Case for Robot Friendship"
Danaher: "The Philosophical Case for Robot Friendship"
Part Three: Social Implications
Part Three: Social Implications
Privacy and Surveillance
Privacy and Surveillance
Thomson: "The Right to Privacy" & Parent: "Privacy, Morality, and the Law"
Thomson: "The Right to Privacy" & Parent: "Privacy, Morality, and the Law"
Veliz: "How Did We Get Here?" & Macnish: "Mass Surveillance: A Private Affair?"
Veliz: "How Did We Get Here?" & Macnish: "Mass Surveillance: A Private Affair?"
Manipulation
Manipulation
Noggle: "Pleasure, Trickery, and a Unified Account of Manipulation"
Noggle: "Pleasure, Trickery, and a Unified Account of Manipulation"
Arrington: "Advertising and Behavioral Control" & Crisp: "Persuasive Advertising, Autonomy, and the Creation of Desire" [Class Debate]
Arrington: "Advertising and Behavioral Control" & Crisp: "Persuasive Advertising, Autonomy, and the Creation of Desire" [Class Debate]
Susser et al.: "Technology, Autonomy, and Manipulation" & Harris: "How Technology is Hacking Your Mind"
Susser et al.: "Technology, Autonomy, and Manipulation" & Harris: "How Technology is Hacking Your Mind"
Algorithmic Bias
Algorithmic Bias
Angwin et al: "Machine Bias" & Corbett-Davies et al: "It’s Actually not that Clear"
Angwin et al: "Machine Bias" & Corbett-Davies et al: "It’s Actually not that Clear"
O'Neil: "Bomb Parts: What is a Model?" & Lum and Isaac: "To Predict and Serve?" & O'Neil: “Civilian Casualties: Justice in the Age of Big Data"
O'Neil: "Bomb Parts: What is a Model?" & Lum and Isaac: "To Predict and Serve?" & O'Neil: “Civilian Casualties: Justice in the Age of Big Data"
Automation and the Future of Work
Automation and the Future of Work
Danaher: “Will Life Be Worth Living in a World Without Work? Technological Unemployment and the Meaning of Life”
Danaher: “Will Life Be Worth Living in a World Without Work? Technological Unemployment and the Meaning of Life”
Danaher: "Virtual Utopia" & Suits: The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia
Danaher: "Virtual Utopia" & Suits: The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia