Abstract

Philosophical reasons of interest for AI and robotic autonomous systems prominently stem from distinctive ethical concerns: in which circumstances are autonomous systems to be permitted or prohibited to perform tasks which have significant implications in the way of human responsibilities, moral duties or fundamental rights? Deontological and consequentialist approaches to ethical theorizing are brought to bear on these ethical issues in the context afforded by the case studies of autonomous vehicles and autonomous weapons. Local solutions to intertheoretic conflicts concerning these case-studies are advanced towards the development of a more comprehensive ethical platform guiding the design and use of autonomous machinery.