Animals, A.I., and Moral Consideration

Hunter A. King
Dr. Dereck Daschke, Faculty Mentor

Who, and what, should be morally considered is a central question many philosophers and ethicists seek to answer. While humans are generally considered worthy of moral consideration, figures such as Peter Singer and Shelly Kagan have been instrumental in reframing the debate onto animals and how they ought to be considered comparative to humans. While this subject has been fairly well-explored, the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (A.I.) as actors capable of making ethical and unethical decisions necessitates discussion on their own moral status. This presentation will explore the implications of applying the frameworks of animal-ethicists such as Singer and Kagan to A.I. actors and to what extent A.I. are worthy of moral consideration.

Keywords: A.I., Ethics, Animal Ethics, Machine Ethics

Topic(s):PHRE Senior Seminar
Philosophy & Religion
Computer Science

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA