INDS502E 2002/3
Ethics for Robots Preliminary Topics List
Moor, James H. (1985) "What is computer ethics?", Metaphilosophy 16(4), 266-75. Reprinted in (Johnson and Nissenbaum 1995) http://www.ccsr.cms.dmu.ac.uk/staff/Srog/teaching/moor.htm
Lawrence Lessig, “Open Code and Open Societies: Values of Internet Governance” v3.0 (Sibley Lecture, 1999, University of Georgia)
A question: “Suppose there existed a Science and Technology Administration (STA), which, like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was charged with assessing the possible impacts of a technology before it was released into mainstream society. Suppose you were a member of the STA. What questions would you ask about a technology as you sought to understand its potential impacts?” Jason Ohler, Taming the Beast: Choice and Control in the Electronic Jungle, TECHNOS Press http://www2.jun.alaska.edu/edtech/jason/bookquotes.html
Hal Murray “The risks of (not) using Robots” (Nuemann ) 2:21; http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/2.21.html#subj1
"Bottom-line study backs use of airbags" (NEW YORK TIMES News Service, THE VANCOUVER SUN, Wednesday, NOV 5,1997 Page A7)
Lawrence Summers, “Memo of 12 December 1991” http://www.semcosh.org/lsummers.htm discussed in (Hausman and McPherson 1996) Chapter 1.
David Schmidtz, “A Place For Cost-Benefit Analysis" (Philosophical Issues, 2001)
Michael Davis, "Thinking Like an Engineer: The Place of a Code of Ethics in the Practice of a Profession" , pp. [150]-167, Philosophy and Public Affairs , Vol. 20, Iss. 2 Available from UBC library e-journals on line (for UBC community members) here: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0048-3915%28199121%2920%3A2%3C150%3ATLAETP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-S (Davis 1991)
Davis expanded this paper into a book that I recommend highly (Davis and Association for Practice and Professional Ethics. 1998).
More on the social contract and computer ethics: (Johnson 1994); the modern classical source is (Rawls 1971).
Shigeo Hirose, “A code of conduct for robots coexisting with human beings”, Robotics and Autonomous Systems,18 (1996) 101-107.
Isaac Asimov, I Robot (New York: Doubleday, 1963)
Clark, Roger. 1993 “Asimov's Laws of Robotics: Implications for Information Technology” IEEE Computer 26,12 (December 1993) pp.53-61 and 27,1 (January 1994), pp.57-66 http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/SOS/Asimov.html
Robert Sawyer, “On Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics” http://sfwriter.com/rmasilaw.htm
*James Gips, “Towards the Ethical Robot” in (Ford, Glymour et al. 1996)
Luciano Flordi, and Sanders, J.W. 2001. "On the Morality of Artificial Agents", presented at Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enquiries, Dec 2001. [Abstract][pdf]
Privacy in Public Spaces, (Nissenbaum 1997)
Technology vs. Traditional Rights, (McGinn 1997)
“The Tragedy of the Commons” (Hardin 1968)
and “The Institution of Property” (Schmidtz 1994)
The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the commons in a connected world (Lessig 2001)
[Danielson, 1991 #27]
(Skyrms 1996) Chapters 1 & 2.
Rosenchein and Zlotkin, Preface, Chapters 1 & 2 in (Rosenchein and Zlotkin 1994)
*C. Castelfranchi and R. Conti, “Limits of economic and strategic rationality for agents and MA systems” Robotics and Autonomous Systems (Special Issue on Multi-Agent Rationality) 24: (3-4) 127-139 Sep 1998.
Oil: (Barry 1983)
Nuclear Technology & Waste: (Shrader-Frechette 1997)
Ecological Footprinting (Rees 1996)
A case study: N. G. Leveson and C. S. Turner, "An Investigation of the Therac-25 Accidents," IEEE Computer, Jul, 1993, 26(7), pp. 18-41. http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/Therac_25/Therac_1.html
Barbara Wade Rose, “Fatal Dose”, in (Schellenberg )
A fictional case study: Richard G. Epstein, “The Killer Robot Case” http://ethics.cwru.edu/text/cases/robot/robot.html
Vs. Leveson & Turner’s real case study of the Therac-25 accidents (see above)
Bev Littlewood & Lorenzo Strigini, “The Risks of Software” in (Johnson and Nissenbaum 1995)
Parnas, vs Schouwen, and Kwan, “Evaluation of Safety-Critical Software” in (Johnson and Nissenbaum 1995)
Helen Nissenbaum “Accountability in a Computerized Society”, Science and Engineering Ethics Volume 2, number 1, January 1996. Reprinted in (Johnson and Nissenbaum 1995)
Brian Cantwell Smith, “Limits of Correctness in Computers” in (Johnson and Nissenbaum 1995)
Andy Clark, “SIM wars (Get Real!)” (Clark 1997, Section 5.5)
Is video poker addicting? (Rachlin 2000)
Are computer games trainers for evil violence? (Danielson in progress)
Hans Moravec, “Rise of the Robots”, Scientific American, Dec, 1999.
A recent survey: Tim Beardsley, “Robots Enter Slowly” Scientific American, Sept, 1999.
Bill Keefe, “The Risks of using robots in industry”, (Nuemann ) 1:20 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/1.20.html#subj1
Jerry Saltzer, “Robots are different” (Nuemann ) 1:22 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/1.22.html#subj4
Ron Cain, “Robot safety” (Nuemann ) 2:42 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/2.42.html#subj1
Isaac Asimov, “Robots! Beware!”, (Nuemann ) 2:42 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/2.19.html#subj1
PUMA promotional illustration, from (Asimov and Frenkel 1985, p. 39)
James H. Rillings, “Automated Highways”, Scientific American, Oct. 1997,
Hans Moravec, Chapter 1 of (Moravec 1988)
Pete Mellor, “Robot mower” (Nuemann ) 1:22 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/15.75.html#subj3
The Electrolux robot vacuum cleaner http://www3.electrolux.se/robot/
“Home Robots, NOT!” Robot Science & Technology, I. http://www.robotmag.com
Danielson, Peter "Ethics for the Rest of Us or the Best of Us?" Ethics & Information Technology, 1:1, 1999. (Danielson 1999)
Robotic Pets (Carol Morgan, IIGSP/Animal Welfare)
Are there special constraints on the design of autonomous weapons? Three contributions to (Nuemann )
1. Eugene Miya: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.57.html#subj5.1
2.
3. Ken Laws: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.58.html#subj6.1
4. Wayne Throop: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.61.html#subj2.1
Herb Lin and Clifford Johnson, “Towards an effective definition of ‘autonomous’ weapons” (Nuemann ) 2:42 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.64.html#subj4
Mike McLaughlin “Autonomous Widgets” (Nuemann ) 3:65 http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.65.html#subj4.1
“The Exocet [guided missile] is a military robot. If you have trouble accepting that designation, compare it component by component with a modern industrial robot working on a Detroit assembly line. Both are rigged with computer ‘brains’ and sensors to measure the world around them, and both have ‘muscles’ to carry out their assignments. ” (Logsdon 1984, p. 114)
Rob MacLachlan, ‘“Friendly” missiles and computer error -- more on the Exocet’ (Nuemann )3:67, http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3.67.html#subj6
Francis Slakey, “Robots vs. Humans: A Debate: Who should explore space?”
Brooks, R. A. and A. M. Flynn, "Fast, Cheap and Out of Control: A Robot Invasion of the Solar System," Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, October 1989, pp. 478--485.
Nathaniel Borenstein, “’Artificial Life’ out of control in (Nuemann ) 10:11. http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/10.11html#subj2
*Alan Marshall, "Ethics and the Extraterrestrial Environment" Journal of Applied Philosophy (1993).
The class will design an appropriate task and environment to generate and test ethically interesting robots.
Teams will build competing/cooperating robots, task/food units, and perhaps innocent bystanders/victims using Lego MindStorms robotics kits. Cf http://www.legomindstorms.com
RCX Command Centre software http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/markov/lego/rcxcc/index.html
*A tutorial: Mark Overmars, “Programming Lego Robots using NQC” http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/markov/lego/tutorial.pdf
Reference books on Lego Mindstorms robots: (Knudsen 1999), (Baum 2000) (Baum, Gasperi et al. 2000)(Available for loan)
Eric Steinhart, “Emergent values for automatons: Ethical Problems of life in the generalized internet” Ethics & Information Technology 1:2, 1999. (Reserve)
Moravec, Hans. 1997. “The Senses Have no Future” http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/~hpm/project.archive/general.articles/1997/970128.nosense.html
Ben Schneiderman and Pattie Maes, “Direct Manipulation vs. Interface Agents.” ACM Interactions. November + December 1997. Volume IV.6. 1997. Pp 42 - 61. Franklin,
Friedman, B. and Nissenbaum, H. “Software Agents and User Autonomy.” ACM Agents '97 Conference Proceedings. 1997.
David Eichmann “Ethical Web Agents” http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/IT94/Proceedings/Agents/eichmann.ethical/eichmann.html
Cristiano Castelfranchi, “Why Computers will (Necessarily) Deceive Us and Each Other” (not found yet)
Peter Danielson, “Pseudonyms, MailBots, and Virtual Letterheads: The Evolution of Computer Mediated Ethics“, in (Ess 1996)
Caroline Whitbeck, “Teaching Ethics to Scientists and Engineers: Moral Agents and Moral Problems” Science and Engineering Ethics (1995) http://ethics.cwru.edu/text/essays/teaching.html
Asimov, I. and K. Frenkel (1985). Robots: Machines in Man's Image. New York, Harmony Books.
Barry, B. (1983). Intergenerational Justice in Energy Policy. Energy and the Future. D. Maclean and P. G. Brown. New Jersey, Rowman and Littlefield.
Baum, D. (2000). Dave Baum's Definitive Guide to LEGO Mindstorms. Emeryville CA., Acorn Press.
Baum, D., M. Gasperi, et al. (2000). Extreme Mindstorms: An Advanced Guide to LEGO Mindstorms. Berkeley CA., APress.
Clark, A. (1997). Being There: Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again. Cambridge, Mass., M.I.T. Press.
Danielson, P. (1999). “Robots for the Rest of Us or for the 'Best' of Us.” Ethics and Information Technology 1: 77 - 83.
Danielson, P. (in progress). Daddy, I Made a Gay Sim: Artificial Morality & the Ethics of Simulation Games. Playing With The Future: Development And Directions In Computer Gaming. Manchester, UK.
Davis, M. (1991). “Thinking like an engineer : The Place of a Code of Ethics in the Practice of a Profession" , pp. [150]-167, , Vol. 20, Iss. 2.” Philosophy and Public Affairs 20.
Davis, M. and Association for Practice and Professional Ethics. (1998). Thinking like an engineer : studies in the ethics of a profession. New York, Oxford University Press.
Ess, C., Ed. (1996). Philosophical Perspectives on Computer Mediated Communication. Albany, State University of New York Press.
Ford, K. M., C. Glymour, et al., Eds. (1996). Android Epistemology. Menlo Park/Cambridge/London, AAAI Press/MIT Press.
Hardin, G. (1968). “Tragedy of the commons.” Science 162(3858): 1243 - 48.
Hausman, D. M. and M. S. McPherson (1996). Economic analysis and moral philosophy. Cambridge [England] ; New York, NY, Cambridge University Press.
Johnson, D. G. (1994). Computer Ethics. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.
Johnson, D. G. and H. Nissenbaum, Eds. (1995). Computers, Ethics & Social Values. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.
Knudsen, J. B. (1999). The Unofficial Guide to LEGO MINDSTORMS Robots. Sebasopol CA., O'Reilly & Associates.
Lessig, L. (2001). The future of ideas : the fate of the commons in a connected world. New York, Random House.
Logsdon, T. (1984). The Robot Revolution. New York, Simon and Schuster.
McGinn, R. E. (1997). Technology, Demography, and the Anachronism of Traditional Rights. Technology and values. K. S. Shrader-Frechette and L. Westra. Lanham, Md., Rowman & Littlefield Publishers: xi, 472.
Moravec, H. (1988). Mind Children. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard Univ. Press.
Nissenbaum, H. (1997). “Toward an Approach to Privacy in Public: The Challenges of Information Technology (1997).” Ethics and Behavior 7(3): 207-219.
Nuemann, P. C. Forum on risks to the Public in Computer Systems.
Rachlin, H. (2000). The science of self-control. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press.
Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Cambridge, Mass., Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Rees, W. (1996). “Revisiting Carrying Capacity: Area-Based Indicators of Sustainability.” Population and Environment: A Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 17(3).
Rosenchein, J. S. and G. Zlotkin (1994). Rules of Encounter: Designing Conventions for Automated Negotiation among Computers. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press.
Schellenberg, K., Ed. (2000). Computers in Society. Annual Editions. Guilford, Conn., Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.
Schmidtz, D. (1994). “The Institution of Property.” Social Philosophy and Policy,.
Shrader-Frechette, K. S. (1997). Nuclear Technology and Radioactive Waste. Technology and values. K. S. Shrader-Frechette and L. Westra. Lanham, Md., Rowman & Littlefield Publishers: xi, 472.
Skyrms, B. (1996). Evolution of the social contract. Cambridge ; New York, Cambridge University Press.