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, companion (love and friendship) robots, privacy, online manipulation, algorithmic bias, and the future of work.
Course Topics and Readings
Part One: Moral Machines
Superintelligence and Existential Risk
Chalmers: “The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis" (sections 1-2)
Bostrom: “The Superintelligent Will: Motivation and Instrumental Rationality in Advanced Artificial Agents”
Russell: "Artificial Intelligence: A Binary Approach"
Artificial Moral Agency
Anderson: “Asimov's 'Three Laws of Robotics' and Machine Meta-Ethics"
Giubilini and Savulescu: "The Artificial Moral Advisor. The 'Ideal Observer' Meets Artificial Intelligence"
Robot Rights
Bryson: "Robots Should Be Slaves" [Class Debate]
Schwitzgebel and Marza: "In Defense of the Rights of Artificial Intelligences"
Part Two: Applications
Companion Robots
Danaher: "The Philosophical Case for Robot Friendship"
Levy: "Falling in Love with a Companion" & Nyholm and Frank: "From Sex Robots to Love Robots: Is Mutual Love with a Robot Possible?"
Autonomous Vehicles
Thomson: "Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem" & Greene: "Solving the Trolley Problem"
Awad et al.: "The Moral Machine Experiment" & Jacques: "Why the Moral Machine is a Monster"
Autonomous Weapons
Arkin: "The Case for Ethical Autonomy in Unmanned Systems" & Sharkey: "The Evitability of Autonomous Robot Warfare" [Online Class Debate]
Sparrow: “Killer Robots”
Part Three: Social Implications Digital Privacy and AI Surveillance
Veliz: "How Did We Get Here?" & Macnish: "Mass Surveillance: A Private Affair?"
Algorithmic 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]
Susser et al.: "Technology, Autonomy, and Manipulation" & Harris: "How Technology is Hacking Your Mind"
Algorithmic Bias
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"
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: Suits: The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia