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Google developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) to power its self-driving car project.

In
2016, Google received four billion dollars from the government to accelerate its
advancements on AI and self-driving cars. The highway administration regulators
have agreed to modify the regulations to allow the automakers to test their self-
driving cars on road for real-world testing.
To what extent is the use of artificial intelligence ethically justifiable?
Fields like sociology and psychology of the human sciences would play an important
role in programming the decisions of self-driving cars.
The real life situation shows self-driving cars involvement with society and has
raised some ethical quandaries:
1. In case of an emergency, should the car be programmed to save the lives of the
occupants at any costs or save the lives of the possible victims?
2. Who makes the decisions of the self-driving cars? Programmers, governments or
companies?
Any solution to these would conflict with society's moral values.
WOK1: Reason
Claim 1: Moral judgments in human sciences can be evaluated using logical
reasoning.

Using the framework of logical reasoning, an action can be shown ethically


right if it follows a commonly agreed moral principle.
Syrian war has led many people to flee the country to neighboring countries.
Some countries have kept the gates opened despite the risk of losing
economic stability
Counterclaim: Moral judgments in human sciences can differ based on moral
relativism. Reason does not affect moral relativism.

Moral relativism. The commonly agreed principle may therefore differ from
culture to culture. Thus reasoning cannot be used for different moral
principles.
In India, dowry system is morally right and acceptable. Reasoning cannot be
used here.
Conclusion: Logical reasoning can be used to evaluate moral judgments however it
has its limits.
WOK2: Emotions
Claim 2: In human sciences, moral intuitions are sometimes influenced by emotions.

Intuition relies on pattern recognition and will point to solutions that have
worked well before. Patterns are identified unconsciously. Emotion is an
unconscious process. Emotions affect pattern recognition and therefore our
intuition of what is right.
(Utilitarianism) Donating money to a charity. Intuition guides our
understanding of what is right. Donating money to charitable organizations
is always seen as a morally right thing to do.
Counterclaim: Emotions may hinder our moral intuition.

Emotions affect pattern recognition and therefore our intuition of what is


right. Emotions can be biased and can lead to wrong intuitions.
If person A deliberately causes a serious injury to person B, person A should
be punished. Would you punish him even if he is your brother? How would
this change if person B was your brother?
Conclusion: Emotions can strengthen our moral values, or can overrule logical
reasoning that is used to evaluate moral judgments.

The ethical quandaries of the RLS will require both emotions and reasoning to
make a decision. Emotions can be used to provide the basis for ethical
decisions which can then be confirmed and evaluated by logical reason.
Other RLS:
Military: Can autonomous robots fight wars?

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