Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency
A Critical Philosophical Investigation
Abstract
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This paper carried out a philosophical analysis of the moral agency concept as applied to artificial intelligence. Based on traditional theories developed by Aristotle, Kant, and Hume, the research outlines the normative standards of agency, that is, autonomy, intentionality, and moral responsibility. It is against this theoretical scaffolding that the paper critically analyses the current AI systems and concludes that, despite the ability to simulate moral agency by using advanced rule-based systems or machine-learning algorithms, they do not possess the critical qualities of consciousness, free will, or moral self-reflection. Through the use of case studies and thought experiments, specifically the Turing Test and the Chinese Room argument, the analysis proves that the existing AI systems do not possess the ontological depth necessary to be considered as the agents of true morality. The paper is not a statement that AI is incompetent as an agency; it explores other conceptions, including distributed agency and relational agency; in particular, it explores socio-technical systems where human and machine actions are closely embedded. The ethical implications, especially in low-regulatory environments, as is the case in Pakistan, are given special consideration, where digital inequalities and pluralism across cultures can serve to expand accountability gaps. Finally, the paper will argue that making AI the subject of moral agency is not only philosophically unsound but also morally dangerous. It promotes a less carefree attitude to human responsibility and suggests extensive ethical regulation of the creation and implementation of intelligent systems.
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Moral Agency, Philosophy of Technology, Postcolonial Technology Ethics, Relational ResponsibilityReferences
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