Humans and Intelligent Machines: Underlying Values

Abstract

Many questions in AI ethics involve the comparison of human beings with machines that display aspects of intelligence. We thus need to understand how humans are understood and how intelligence is understood. We examine what is meant by intelligence noting the range of different ways in which it is characterised, why we value intelligence, and some ethical implications of answers to these questions. In particular, it is important to note that some accounts of intelligence used in AI are instrumental, understanding intelligence as the capacity effectively to reach goals. The second part of the chapter examines theories of human nature. These underlie many questions in ethics yet may remain relatively unexamined. Issues outlined of relevance to AI ethics include questions concerning the place of human beings in the natural world; claims of particular roles that humans may have; claims that human beings have some essential nature; claims about the relationship of humans to the mind and to embodiment; the boundaries and limits to human nature; and claims about divisions within human nature, our strengths and weaknesses, and how humans may be improved. Examples and exercises are given that illustrate how these issues impact practical questions in AI ethics.