Protomoral Machines: The Evolution of Morality as a Guideline for Robot Ethics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomi Kokkonen
Keyword(s):  
Moral Agency ◽  
Robot Ethics ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Evolution Of Morality ◽  
Moral Machines ◽  
Middle Range ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Far Future

There are two connected questions about moral agency and robots: How can we ensure that robots behave in accordance with relevant ethical considerations? Is it possible to have genuinely moral machines? I will approach these questions from an evolutionary perspective and argue for the importance of a middle-range perspective on the morality of machines: we should neither be restricted to the present-day perspective of current ethical concerns nor to the far future theoretical issues concerning the possibility of genuine morality. Instead, we should reflect on what it would mean to create protomoral machines. The evolution of human morality may help in this.

What do new neuroscience discoveries in children mean for their open future?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl D. Lew
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Fetal Life ◽  
Open Future ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Pediatric Ethics ◽  
Pediatric Decision Making ◽  
New Research ◽  
Pediatric Healthcare

Over the last decade, the number of neuroimaging and other neuroscience studies on the developing brain from fetal life through adolescence has increased exponentially. Children are viewed as particularly vulnerable members of our society and observations of significant neural structural changes associated with behavioral anomalies raise numerous ethical concerns around personal identity, free will, and the possibility of an open future. This chapter provides a review of recent research in the pediatric neuroscience literature, common pediatric decision-making, and social justice models, and discusses the implications of this research for the future of pediatric ethics thinking and policy. New research presents challenges to professional and pediatric bioethicist views of the moral future of children in pediatric healthcare and opportunities to examine anew notions of how to consider the developing moral agency of children.

An Examination of the Moral Habitability of Resource-constrained Obstetrical Settings

2021 ◽  
pp. 096973302098831
Author(s):  
Priscilla N Boakye ◽  
Elizabeth Peter ◽  
Anne Simmonds ◽  
Solina Richter
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Work Environments ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Resource Constrained ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Scarcity Of Resources ◽  
Childbearing Women ◽  
Nurses And Midwives

Background: While there have been studies exploring moral habitability and its impact on the work environments of nurses in Western countries, little is known about the moral habitability of the work environments of nurses and midwives in resource-constrained settings. Research objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the moral habitability of the work environment of nurses and midwives in Ghana and its influence on their moral agency using the philosophical works of Margaret Urban Walker. Research design and participants: A critical moral ethnography was conducted through the analysis of interviews with 30 nurses and midwives, along with observation, and documentary materials. Ethical considerations: After receiving ethics approval, signed informed consent was obtained from participants before data collection. Results: Five themes were identified: (1) holding onto the values, identities, and responsibilities of being a midwife/nurse; (2) scarcity of resources as limiting capacity to meet caring responsibilities; (3) gender and socio-economic inequities shaping the moral-social context of practice; (4) working with incoherent moral understandings and damaged identities in the context of inter- and intra-professional relationships; and (5) surviving through adversity with renewed commitment and courage. Discussion: The nurses and midwives were found to work in an environment that was morally uninhabitable and dominated by the scarcity of resources, overwhelming and incoherent moral responsibilities, oppressive conditions, and workplace violence. These situations constrained their moral agency and provoked suffering and distress. The nurses and midwives negotiated their practice and navigated through morally uninhabitable work environment by holding onto their moral values and commitments to childbearing women. Conclusion: Creating morally habitable workplaces through the provision of adequate resources and instituting interprofessional practice guidelines and workplace violence prevention policies may promote safe and ethical nursing and midwifery practice.

Ethical Concerns About Private (and Public) Corrections: Extending the Focus Beyond Profit- Making and the Delegation of Punishment

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-630
Author(s):  
Andrea N. Montes
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency

Common criticisms of privatized corrections are that tying punishment to profits is unethical and that the administration of punishment should not be delegated to private entities. Such criticisms are important to consider but other ethical concerns also arise when privatizing corrections. For example, do private correctional entities protect individuals’ rights? The focus on profit-making also overlooks ethical considerations that arise with public corrections. Indeed, focusing only on the ethics of financially incentivizing punishment or the delegation of punishment obscures important nuances about the ethics of privatization and corrections generally. To these ends, a framework is presented that highlights that a range of ethical considerations attend to private corrections as well as to public corrections. It also reveals that a focus on ethics, while a good unto itself, could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of private and public corrections.

Ethics of Early Prevention in Schizophrenia

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. A208-A212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Early Prevention ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Current Thinking ◽  
Right Not To Know ◽  
Early Primary ◽  
The Right ◽  
Waiting Periods

Objective To represent a cross-section of current thinking on the ethics of early (primary) prevention in schizophrenia. Method Ethical considerations presented at the First Australian Schizophrenia Prevention Conference, Sydney, March 1999, particularly from the final session on ‘Ethics’, are recorded here together with complementary referenced material. Results Ethical concerns arise in the arenas of research over clinical priorities; screening ethics, including stigma, confidentiality, informed consent and support required through waiting periods; and the ethics of prolonged assessments in the absence of disorder, the right not to know and the possible ethical prematurity or otherwise of screening for schizophrenia. Conclusions There are several legitimate ethical concerns that must be understood and addressed by those undertaking the developing of primary preventive measures in schizophrenia. Such measures must still be regarded as more experimental the further ahead the measures are undertaken from the onset of the disorder. Anticipatory ethical guidelines should be developed to inform such research.

scholarly journals The Blackness of Liet-Kynes: Reading Frank Herbert’s Dune Through James Cone

Religions ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 281
Author(s):  
Peter Herman
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
White Identity ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
The Social ◽  
Far Future

Frank Herbert’s landmark science fiction novel Dune has received numerous sequels, prequels, and film treatments. Detailing the saga of humanity’s far future beyond our present solar system, the work plays successfully with religious, political, and ecological themes. This essay deals with the social/theological implications of two figures within the story-world of Dune: Its protagonist and visible hero, Paul Atreides/Muad’Dib and the lesser figure of the “Imperial Planetologist” Dr. Kynes, also known to the Fremen as “Liet”. By reading these two figures through the theology of James Cone, we discover that the obvious hero is not a messianic figure but a demonic one. Further, it is the lesser character of Liet-Kynes who actually fulfills the messianic role in Cone’s theological system. This essay is preceded by and makes use of Jeremy Ian Kirk’s work with the film Avatar that provides similar analysis. Where Kirk’s principal concern is with the ethical considerations of Avatar, this essay will more closely bear on Cone’s dynamic of redemption and conversion, specifically his notion of dying to white identity to be reborn in blackness.

scholarly journals Disparities and ethical considerations for children with tracheostomies during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-376
Author(s):  
Lulia A. Kana ◽  
Andrew G. Shuman ◽  
Jennifer Helman ◽  
Kelly Krawcke ◽  
David J. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Rehabilitation Services ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Healthcare Resources ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Discourse

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating longstanding challenges facing children with tracheostomies and their families. Myriad ethical concerns arising in the long-term care of children with tracheostomies during the COVID-19 pandemic revolve around inadequate access to care, healthcare resources, and rehabilitation services. Marginalized communities such as those from Black and Hispanic origins face disproportionate chronic illness because of racial and other underlying disparities. In this paper, we describe how these disparities also present challenges to children who are technology-dependent, such as those with tracheostomies and discuss the emerging ethical discourse regarding healthcare and resource access for this population during the pandemic.

Centering Human Subjects: The Ethics of “Desk Research” on Political Violence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Hoover Green ◽  
Dara Kay Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Political Violence ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Data Production ◽  
Desk Research

Abstract Quantitative data about political violence are frequently based on “desk research,” data derived from secondary sources that do not require direct contact between researchers and participants, such as people who witnessed or experienced violence. The research that employs these data is often viewed implicitly as ethically uncomplicated. In contrast, we argue that the production and analysis of political violence data coded from secondary sources require careful ethical deliberation regarding human subjects concerns. We consider two broad classes of quantitative political violence data often gathered through desk research: incident lists and indices. For both types, we identify ethical concerns about how data production and use can affect research participants. We conclude by offering a series of suggestions on how to incorporate ethical considerations about human subjects into the design and evaluation of political violence research based on secondary sources.

Robot ethics and law

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bogue
Keyword(s):  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Robot Ethics ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Healthcare It ◽  
Moral Behaviour ◽  
Ethical And Legal Issues ◽  
Military Drones ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – This first part of a two-part paper aims to provide an insight into the ethical and legal issues associated with certain classes of robot. This part is concerned with ethics. Design/methodology/approach – Following an introduction, this paper first considers the ethical deliberations surrounding robots used in warfare and healthcare. It then addresses the issue of robot truth and deception and subsequently discusses some on-going deliberations and possible ways forward. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn. Findings – Robot ethics are the topic of wide-ranging debate and encompass such diverse applications as military drones and robotic carers. Many ethical considerations have been raised including philosophical issues such as moral behaviour and truth and deception. Preliminary research suggests that some of these concerns may be ameliorated through the use of software which encompasses ethical principles. It is widely recognised that a multidisciplinary approach is required and there is growing evidence of this. Originality/value – This paper provides an insight into the highly topical and complex issue of robot ethics.

Ethical Considerations for Nurses in Clinical Trials

2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Oberle ◽  
Marion Allen
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Moral Obligation ◽  
Potential Problem ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Principal Investigators ◽  
Research Nurses ◽  
Trial Failure

Ethical issues arise for nurses involved in all phases of clinical trials regardless of whether they are caregivers, research nurses, trial co-ordinators or principal investigators. Potential problem areas centre on nurses’ moral obligation related to methodological issues as well as the notions of beneficence/non-maleficence and autonomy. These ethical concerns can be highly upsetting to nurses if they are not addressed, so it is imperative that they are discussed fully prior to the initiation of a trial. Failure to resolve these issues can place both the conduct and the results of research in jeopardy.

scholarly journals Ethical considerations in placebo-controlled randomised clinical trials

BJPsych Open ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. e3-e4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth R. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Informed Consent ◽  
Randomised Clinical Trial ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Placebo Controls ◽  
Ethics Research ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Based Medicine

SummaryEthical considerations in standard medical care and clinical research are underpinnings to quality medicine. Similarly, the placebo-controlled double-blind randomised clinical trial is the gold standard for medical research and fundamental to the development of evidence-based medicine. Researchers and clinicians are challenged by ethical concerns in the informed consent with a need to maximise understanding and minimise therapeutic misconception. This editorial expands on themes raised by Chen et al's article ‘Disclosing the Potential Impact of Placebo Controls in Antidepressant Trials' and serves as an invitation for further submissions to BJPsych Open on ethics, research design and informed consent.

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