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Philosophies
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The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology
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The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology

A special issue of Philosophies (ISSN 2409-9287).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2024 | Viewed by 8365

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Migle Laukyte

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Law, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
Interests: artificial intelligence and law; ethics of disruptive technologies; regulation of technology
Prof. Dr. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Social Ethics ISE, University of Lucerne, Luzern, Switzerland
Interests: ethics of digital transformation; ethics of artificial intelligence; business ethics and ethics of finance; ethics of human rights; political ethics; the relation between ethics and law

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to submit your article to a Special Issue on The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology.

Our goal is to address the ethical challenges and risks related to contemporary new technologies, such as:

  • Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, etc.;
  • Automation and robotics;
  • Digital transformation;
  • Internet of Things, cloud computing, and edge computing;
  • Distributed ledger technologies: Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and stakes;
  • New realities: virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and the Metaverse;
  • Neuroscience and brain-machine interfaces.

In what follows, we elaborate a non-exhaustive list of topics and research questions that we would like to receive original and unpublished contributions on:

  • Principles, norms, new challenges, and new risks regarding the ethics of modern technologies;
  • New ways of implementing and realizing the ethics of modern technologies;
  • New frameworks and new stakeholders in the ethics of modern technologies
  • New interdisciplinary connections within the ethics of modern technologies;
  • New ethical modes of governance for modern technologies;
  • New solutions and suggestions for the development of the ethics of modern technologies;
  • The future of the ethics of modern technologies.

As it is obvious from the non-exhaustive list of approaches above, we are particularly interested in addressing the aforementioned topics through the lens of their novelty; that is to say, our interest lies in discovering what is new about ethics if we look at the ethics through the lens of these modern technologies: what new ethical problems have been put on the table, which problems are already solved or—if not solved—outdated and irrelevant, and what these dynamics of ethical issues teach, show, and reveal to us about us and our understanding of technological development. In addition to that, we are also interested in new ethical challenges, critical approaches to the ethics of technology, new solutions to ethical problems, new ways of implementing and realizing ethics in the field of modern technologies, specific case analysis, and practical suggestions on how to make modern technologies more ethically sound and acceptable.

Our goal is to bring new insights to the ethical debate of how contemporary technological evolution should be articulated, and we will accept papers from any scientific discipline if their contents fit the goals of this Special Issue.

The length of original papers ranges from 6,000 to 12,000 words. The articles will be published online (i.e., open access) as well as in print format.

Information on the article processing charge and any waivers/discounts applicable are below.

We look forward to reading your work.

Dr. Migle Laukyte
Prof. Dr. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Philosophies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ethics
  • AI robotics
  • digital transformation
  • neuroscience
  • distributed ledger
  • blockchain virtual reality
  • metaverse

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 307 KiB  
Article
Fourth Generation Human Rights in View of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
by Manuel Jesús López Baroni
Philosophies 2024, 9(2), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies9020039 - 19 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
We are at the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by the interaction of so-called disruptive technologies (biotechnology, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology and artificial intelligence). We believe that the challenges posed by technoscience cannot be met by the three generations of human [...] Read more.
We are at the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by the interaction of so-called disruptive technologies (biotechnology, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology and artificial intelligence). We believe that the challenges posed by technoscience cannot be met by the three generations of human rights that already exist. The need to create a fourth generation of human rights is, therefore, explored in this article. For that purpose, the state of the art will be analysed from a scientific and ethical perspective. We will consider the position of academic doctrines on the issues that a fourth generation of human rights should tackle. And, finally, in this fourth generation, we will propose the principles of identity and precaution as reference values, equivalent to the role played by freedom, equality and solidarity in the first three generations of human rights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology)
18 pages, 243 KiB  
Article
Vox Populi, Vox ChatGPT: Large Language Models, Education and Democracy
by Niina Zuber and Jan Gogoll
Philosophies 2024, 9(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies9010013 - 11 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1974
Abstract
In the era of generative AI and specifically large language models (LLMs), exemplified by ChatGPT, the intersection of artificial intelligence and human reasoning has become a focal point of global attention. Unlike conventional search engines, LLMs go beyond mere information retrieval, entering into [...] Read more.
In the era of generative AI and specifically large language models (LLMs), exemplified by ChatGPT, the intersection of artificial intelligence and human reasoning has become a focal point of global attention. Unlike conventional search engines, LLMs go beyond mere information retrieval, entering into the realm of discourse culture. Their outputs mimic well-considered, independent opinions or statements of facts, presenting a pretense of wisdom. This paper explores the potential transformative impact of LLMs on democratic societies. It delves into the concerns regarding the difficulty in distinguishing ChatGPT-generated texts from human output. The discussion emphasizes the essence of authorship, rooted in the unique human capacity for reason—a quality indispensable for democratic discourse and successful collaboration within free societies. Highlighting the potential threats to democracy, this paper presents three arguments: the Substitution argument, the Authenticity argument, and the Facts argument. These arguments highlight the potential risks that are associated with an overreliance on LLMs. The central thesis posits that widespread deployment of LLMs may adversely affect the fabric of a democracy if not comprehended and addressed proactively and properly. In proposing a solution, we advocate for an emphasis on education as a means to mitigate risks. We suggest cultivating thinking skills in children, fostering coherent thought formulation, and distinguishing between machine-generated output and genuine, i.e., human, reasoning. The focus should be on the responsible development and usage of LLMs, with the goal of augmenting human capacities in thinking, deliberating and decision-making rather than substituting them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology)
13 pages, 251 KiB  
Article
Blockchain Ethics
by Peter G. Kirchschlaeger
Philosophies 2024, 9(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies9010002 (registering DOI) - 21 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1646
Abstract
There is no question about the innovation force and the economic potential of blockchain technology. As the basis for new currencies, financial services, and smart contracts, blockchain technology can be seen as the fifth disruptive computing paradigm, after mainframes, personal computers, the Internet, [...] Read more.
There is no question about the innovation force and the economic potential of blockchain technology. As the basis for new currencies, financial services, and smart contracts, blockchain technology can be seen as the fifth disruptive computing paradigm, after mainframes, personal computers, the Internet, and mobile devices. However, there are questions about its ethical implications, which have the potential to also impact the economic success of blockchain technology. This article aims to provide ethical guidance on blockchain technology. In order to reach this goal, the focus of the ethical analysis will first concentrate on the unique characteristics of blockchain technology compared to other technology-based innovations. The unique nucleus of blockchain technology can be defined as a move from the trust in people to a trust in math, as a move from an internet of information to an internet of value, or—as I would propose—a shift from an intermediated network to an immediate network. Second, the ethical opportunities (e.g., transparency, participation, global access to services) and risks (e.g., ecological impact, lack of legal monitoring and enforcement) associated with this unique nucleus of blockchain technology will be discussed. Third, an outlook on possible concrete solutions will be provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology)

Other

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7 pages, 185 KiB  
Essay
The Rise of Particulars: AI and the Ethics of Care
by David Weinberger
Philosophies 2024, 9(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies9010026 - 16 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2802
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) trains itself by discovering patterns of correlations that can be applied to new inputs. That is a very powerful form of generalization, but it is also very different from the sort of generalization that the west has valorized as the [...] Read more.
Machine learning (ML) trains itself by discovering patterns of correlations that can be applied to new inputs. That is a very powerful form of generalization, but it is also very different from the sort of generalization that the west has valorized as the highest form of truth, such as universal laws in some of the sciences, or ethical principles and frameworks in moral reasoning. Machine learning’s generalizations synthesize the general and the particular in a new way, creating a multidimensional model that often retains more of the complex differentiating patterns it has uncovered in the training process than the human mind can grasp. Particulars speak louder in these models than they do in traditional generalizing frameworks. This creates an odd analogy with recent movements in moral philosophy, particularly the feminist ethics of care which rejects the application of general moral frameworks in favor of caring responses to the particular needs and interests of those affected by a moral decision. This paper suggests that our current wide-spread and justified worries about ML’s inexplicability—primarily arising from its reliance on staggeringly complex patterns of particulars—may be preparing our culture more broadly for a valorizing of particulars as at least as determinative as generalizations, and that this might help further advance the importance of particulars in ideas such as those put forward by the ethics of care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Ethics of Modern and Emerging Technology)
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