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Introduction to the Special Issue on Machine Morality: The Machine as Moral Agent and Patient

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Abstract

One of the enduring concerns of moral philosophy is deciding who or what is deserving of ethical consideration. This special issue of Philosophy and Technology investigates whether and to what extent machines, of various designs and configurations, can or should be considered moral subjects, defined here as either a moral agent, a moral patient, or both. The articles that comprise the issue were competitively selected from papers initially prepared for and presented at a symposium on this subject matter convened during the AISB/IACAP 2012 World Congress, held in at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, UK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 60631, USA

    David J. Gunkel

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Joanna Bryson

Authors
  1. David J. Gunkel
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  2. Joanna Bryson
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Correspondence to David J. Gunkel.

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Gunkel, D.J., Bryson, J. Introduction to the Special Issue on Machine Morality: The Machine as Moral Agent and Patient. Philos. Technol. 27, 5–8 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-014-0151-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-014-0151-1

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