Abstract
A key front for ethical questions in artificial intelligence, and computer science more generally, is teaching students how to engage with the questions they will face in their professional careers based on the tools and technologies we teach them. In past work (and current teaching) we have advocated for the use of science fiction as an appropriate tool which enables AI researchers to engage students and the public on the current state and potential impacts of AI. We present teaching suggestions for E.M. Forster's 1909 story, "The Machine Stops," to teach topics in computer ethics. In particular, we use the story to examine ethical issues related to being constantly available for remote contact, physically isolated, and dependent on a machine - all without mentioning computer games or other media to which students have strong emotional associations. We give a high-level view of common ethical theories and indicate how they inform the questions raised by the story and afford a structure for thinking about how to address them.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | WS-16-01 |
| Subtitle of host publication | Artificial Intelligence Applied to Assistive Technologies and Smart Environments; WS-16-02: AI, Ethics, and Society; WS-16-03: Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security; WS-16-04: Artificial Intelligence for Smart Grids and Smart Buildings; WS-16-05: Beyond NP; WS-16-06: Computer Poker and Imperfect Information Games; WS-16-07: Declarative Learning Based Programming; WS-16-08: Expanding the Boundaries of Health Informatics Using AI; WS-16-09: Incentives and Trust in Electronic Communities; WS-16-10: Knowledge Extraction from Text; WS-16-11: Multiagent Interaction without Prior Coordination; WS-16-12: Planning for Hybrid Systems; WS-16-13: Scholarly Big Data: AI Perspectives, Challenges, and Ideas; WS-16-14: Symbiotic Cognitive Systems; WS-16-15: World Wide Web and Population Health Intelligence |
| Pages | 80-88 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781577357599 |
| State | Published - 2016 |
| Event | 30th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, AAAI 2016 - Phoenix, United States Duration: Feb 12 2016 → Feb 17 2016 |
Publication series
| Name | AAAI Workshop - Technical Report |
|---|---|
| Volume | WS-16-01 - WS-16-15 |
Conference
| Conference | 30th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, AAAI 2016 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Phoenix |
| Period | 2/12/16 → 2/17/16 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:Copyright © 2016, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Engineering