Moral Discourse Research Articles

Crossing the principle–practice gap in AI ethics with ethical problem-solving

AbstractThe past years have presented a surge in (AI) development, fueled by breakthroughs in deep learning, increased computational power, and substantial investments in the field. Given the generative capabilities of more recent AI systems, the era of large-scale AI models has transformed various domains that intersect our daily lives. However, this progress raises concerns about the balance between technological advancement, ethical considerations, safety measures, and financial interests. Moreover, using such systems in sensitive areas amplifies our general ethical awareness, prompting a re-emergence of debates on governance, regulation, and human values. However, amidst this landscape, how to bridge the principle–practice gap separating ethical discourse from the technical side of AI development remains an open problem. In response to this challenge, the present work proposes a framework to help shorten this gap: ethical problem-solving (EPS). EPS is a methodology promoting responsible, human-centric, and value-oriented AI development. The framework’s core resides in translating principles into practical implementations using impact assessment surveys and a differential recommendation methodology. We utilize EPS as a blueprint to propose the implementation of an Ethics as a Service Platform, currently available as a simple demonstration. We released all framework components openly and with a permissive license, hoping the community would adopt and extend our efforts into other contexts. Available in the following URL https://nkluge-correa.github.io/ethical-problem-solving/.

Complicating Conversations: English Anglican Perspectives on Abortion

The question at the heart of the matter of abortion is who has the moral authority to decide whether, and under what circumstances, it is ethically justifiable for an abortion to be carried out. Public moral discourse about abortion rests moral authority in one of two poles—either legislators and/or medical professionals or the pregnant person. This article attempts to complicate this discourse through the English Anglican approach of moral discernment through conversation via the work of Rowan Williams. We offer an exploration of this approach whilst retaining first-person authority before turning to relational models of understanding pregnancy to demonstrate the potential of such a mode of moral discernment. Finally, we turn to Catherine Keller to articulate a vision of bodies as always in dialogue in order to argue that moral discernment through conversation might be particularly ontologically suitable for human beings.

AI and Ethics: A Systematic Review of the Ethical Considerations of Large Language Model Use in Surgery Research.

As large language models receive greater attention in medical research, the investigation of ethical considerations is warranted. This review aims to explore surgery literature to identify ethical concerns surrounding these artificial intelligence models and evaluate how autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice are represented within these ethical discussions to provide insights in order to guide further research and practice. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Five electronic databases were searched in October 2023. Eligible studies included surgery-related articles that focused on large language models and contained adequate ethical discussion. Study details, including specialty and ethical concerns, were collected. The literature search yielded 1179 articles, with 53 meeting the inclusion criteria. Plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery were the most represented surgical specialties. Autonomy was the most explicitly cited ethical principle. The most frequently discussed ethical concern was accuracy (n = 45, 84.9%), followed by bias, patient confidentiality, and responsibility. The ethical implications of using large language models in surgery are complex and evolving. The integration of these models into surgery necessitates continuous ethical discourse to ensure responsible and ethical use, balancing technological advancement with human dignity and safety.

“Recasting sorcery as critical psycho-social commentary, moral discourse, and local psychotherapy”

This article critically reflects on future directions in cross-cultural psychiatry and cultural psychology by engaging the challenges of interpreting psycho-social theories of causation and evidence in what is conventionally called “sorcery” in anthropology. This anthropologist argues that sorcery, notwithstanding its status as an older, classic topic in the history of anthropology and its seemingly “exotic” reputation, has continuing value in recent efforts to de-colonize the study of local ontology and moral personhood, in particular, in contexts of transcultural encounters. The focus here is on an incident in a Saharan Tuareg community that is locally-defined as “sorcery” (called ark echaghel in Tamajaq, their Amazigh language). Many Tuareg, predominantly Muslim, traditionally semi-nomadic, and socially-ranked, have experienced socio-economic and ecological upheavals, armed conflicts, and settled life in towns. This analysis examines a case of sorcery practice and its social context—of a transcultural encounter between a smith/artisan and a tourist and its aftermath—of diagnosis and commentary by an Islamic scholar—as moral discourse and local psycho-social treatment as critical commentary on and resistance to transcultural inequalities. The broader goal here is to suggest avenues to pursue by showing how sorcery reveals local ontology, moral discourse on evil, and culture theory. Thus, sorcery, rather than a “retrograde” or irrelevant topic, offers rich insights into local ontology’s psycho-social and political implications, thereby contributing to current concerns in transcultural psychiatry with social and political power asymmetries, critical epistemologies, and indigenous critiques that question universalizing absolutist psychological interpretations in cultural encounters.

Dispositions, Virtues, and Indian Ethics

ABSTRACTAccording to Arti Dhand, it can be argued that all Indian ethics have been primarily virtue ethics. Many have indeed jumped on the virtue bandwagon, providing prima facie interpretations of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist canons in virtue terms. Others have expressed firm skepticism, claiming that virtues are not proven to be grounded in the nature of things and that, ultimately, the appeal to virtue might just well be a mere façon de parler. In this paper, we aim to advance the discussion of Indian virtue ethics. Our intent is not to provide a catch‐all interpretation of the different Indian schools. Our goal is, more modestly, to offer a theory of virtues in Indian philosophies, as a framework for theorists and interpreters who see these diverse traditions as amenable to systematic virtue analysis. Our theory grounds virtues in the reality of genuine moral dispositions and in a system of beliefs where morality is understood as transformative in nature.

Prototype theory and the importance of literary form for moral imagination.

Prototype theory, which argues that categories have graded (and thus fuzzy) membership based on prototypes, has been used as cognitive evidence to support moral particularism because if categories (in moral rules) only have fuzzy conceptual boundaries, moral rules are not enough for moral judgment, as specific situations also need to be considered to determine how these fuzzy categories should be understood, which is what moral particularism believes. The importance of literature for ethics, especially for moral imagination, has also been extensively discussed because literature can provide vivid examples for us to imagine different moral dilemmas, the consequences of different moral choices, and the feelings of different people facing different situations. Martha Nussbaum specifically argues that the literary form is the only adequate form to imagine certain complex moral situations. By analyzing concrete literary examples as well as the related ethical discussions and empirical findings, this article argues that, building on Nussbaum's argument, prototype theory can serve as a cognitive basis for the importance of literary form for moral imagination, because the literary form's tolerance of ambiguity suits how we ambiguously categorize the world.

Minimizing Questionable Research Practices – The Role of Norms, Counter Norms, and Micro-Organizational Ethics Discussion

AbstractBreaches of research integrity have gained considerable attention due to high-profile scandals involving questionable research practices by reputable scientists. These practices include plagiarism, manipulation of authorship, biased presentation of findings and misleading reports of significance. To combat such practices, policymakers tend to rely on top-down measures, mandatory ethics training and stricter regulation, despite limited evidence of their effectiveness. In this study, we investigate the occurrence and underlying factors of questionable research practices (QRPs) through an original survey of 3,005 social and medical researchers at Swedish universities. By comparing the role of the organizational culture, researchers´ norms and counter norms, and individual motivation, the study reveals that the counter norm of Biasedness—the opposite of universalism and skepticism—is the overall most important factor. Thus, Biasedness was related to 40–60% of the prevalence of the questionable practices. The analysis also reveals the contradictory impact of other elements in the organizational environment. Internal competition was positively associated with QRP prevalence, while group-level ethics discussions consistently displayed a negative association with such practices. Furthermore, in the present study items covering ethics training and policies have only a marginal impact on the prevalence of these practices. The organizational climate and normative environment have a far greater influence. Based on these findings, it is suggested that academic leaders should prioritize the creation and maintenance of an open and unbiased research environment, foster a collaborative and collegial climate, and promote bottom-up ethics discussions within and between research groups.

Promising the future, encoding the past: AI hype and public media imagery

In recent years, “AI hype” has taken over public media, oscillating between sensationalism and concerns about the societal implications of AI growth. The latest historical wave of AI hype indexes a period of increased research, investment, and speculation on machine learning, centred around generative AI, a novel class of machine learning that can generate original media from textual prompts. In this paper, I dive into the production of AI hype in online media, with the aim of prioritising the normative and political dimension of AI hype. Formulating AI as a promise reframes it as a normative project, centrally involving the formation of public and institutional confidence in the technology. The production and dissemination of images, in this context, plays a pivotal role in reinforcing these normative commitments to the public. My argument is divided into four sections. First, I examine the political relevance of stock images as the dominant imagery used to convey AI concepts to the public. These stock images encode specific readings of AI and circulate through public media, significantly influencing perceptions. Second, I look at the dominant images of AI as matters of political concern. Third, as generative AI increasingly contributes to the production of stock imagery, I compare the epistemic work performed by AI-generated outputs and stock images, as both encode style, content, and taxonomic structures of the world. I employ an entity relationship diagram (ERD) to investigate the political economy of AI imagery in digital media, providing a snapshot of how AI hype is materialised and amplified online. With this study, I reaffirm AI’s normative character at the forefront of its political and ethical discourse.

A Socially Responsible Trade: An Analysis of Ethical Discourse in Editor & Publisher, 1930-1934

In the 1930s, the pages of Editor & Publisher were filled with nuanced stories revealing the many ethical challenges facing journalism amid the economic woes of the Great Depression, increased public scrutiny over news, and the influence of New Deal policies on journalistic practices in the US. Industry insiders discussed everything from how to best report criminal activities and sports to how to best write about the nation’s economic plight all while keeping the public’s interest in mind. Analysis of 265 E&P issues, published between 1930 and 1934, found that reporters of the day were highly concerned about ethics in the professional practice of journalism during a time when the newspaper industry faced challenges such as outside scrutiny, governmental critique, and diminished public support. It will be argued that these ethical conversations among journalists promoted functions of a press system outlined by the Social Responsibility Theory of the Press more than a decade before its adoption by the Hutchins Commission in 1947.

Policy Forum: Some Reflections on Ethical Considerations in Tax Litigation

Discussion of ethics in taxation usually concerns tax avoidance. But what ethical principles are or should be involved in the conduct of tax litigation? Both parties must observe the ordinary rules of conduct required of them by the court. Are they free, however, to advance any argument to make their case? Taxpayers will be appealing a tax assessment contrary to their view of the tax that the law requires of them. They are bound to make any argument that is open to them. A revenue authority should have broader considerations in mind, as the body responsible for the overall administration of the tax system and as a repeat litigant in court. Consistency of approach and respect for the integrity of the tax system and for a taxpayer's right to demonstrate that tax is not legally due should be among the ethical principles that the revenue authority adopts in conducting tax litigation.

Respecting dignity: A fundamental element of the ethical being's existence

Human dignity is a pivotal concept in contemporary ethical, political, and legal discourse. However, divergent and sometimes conflicting interpretations of human dignity contribute to confusion across various discussions. Given that all human beings possess inherent moral potential, each individual is endowed with universal dignity. The extent to which people develop their moral potential varies. Discussing an individual’s dignity, as in other medical specialties, cannot be separated from forensic medicine as a distinct medical discipline. In conclusion, the authors assert that establishing medical facts, or the truth ascertained through expert examination, serves justice by ensuring dignified treatment of the deceased, their family, and relatives. Keywords: dignity, ethics, forensic medicine, human remains

Post-trial access to implantable neural devices: an exploratory international survey

ObjectivesClinical trials of innovative neural implants are rapidly increasing and diversifying, but little is known about participants’ post-trial access to the device and ongoing clinical care. This exploratory study examines...

Peran Jurnalistik Dakwah dalam Mengimplemnetasikan Pesan Dakwah dengan Baik

This research aims to allay concerns regarding "the role of da'wah journalism in implementing good da'wah messages" included in the media management curriculum. The aim of this research is to understand, identify, and provide insight into how a journalist can effectively adopt ethical discourse. to provide a clear example of how a journalist should apply sound preaching advice based on research findings. a journalist can be effective using the following criteria: must come from Allah SWT, must uphold all human rights there must be balance in every action, and there must be a balance between ideals and reality. Therefore, there are several things that need to be understood and noticed. In particular, writing with a preaching nuance will be consumed by the media, which will determine whether it is a specifically Islamic article or not.

Peran Jurnalistik Dakwah dalam Mengimplementasikan Pesan Dakwah dengan Baik

This research aims to allay concerns regarding "the role of da'wah journalism in implementing good da'wah messages" included in the media management curriculum. The aim of this research is to understand, identify, and provide insight into how a journalist can effectively adopt ethical discourse. to provide a clear example of how a journalist should apply sound preaching advice based on research findings. a journalist can be effective using the following criteria: must come from Allah SWT, must uphold all human rights there, must be balance in every action, and there must be a balance between ideals and reality. Therefore, there are several things that need to be understood and noticed. In particular, writing with a preaching nuance will be consumed by the media, which will determine whether it is a specifically Islamic article or not.

인간 행위에서 정념의 위상과 기능: 중세 그리스도교적 맥락

This article is a study to explore the theory of passion in Thomas Aquinas’s Moral Theology from a pedagogical perspective. Aquinas’s discussion on the passions is an advantageous position in examining how the philosophical discussion on the passions that started in ancient times developed in the medieval Christian context. As a matter of fact, on the one hand, his discussion can be seen as representing the tradition of medieval Christianity as it is based on the Bible and the thoughts of the Church Fathers, and on the other hand, it can be seen as reflecting discussion of ancient philosophy as it is based on Aristotle’s discussions of metaphysics and ethics. 
 To this end, first, the view on human nature was confirmed through the doctrine of original sin regarding the origin of sins as the context in which passion was dealt with in medieval Christianity. Next, the study attempted to examine the practical impact of the theoretical discussion on passion through the doctrine of capital sins regarding the aspects of sins on the moral life of medieval people, especially through the ascetic life of the monastic system. According to Aquinas, original sin corresponds to the sin of human nature, and it is not simply due to the disorderly action of a single element called passion. The privation of original justice, whereby the will was made subject to God, is the formal element in original sin; while every other disorder of the soul’s powers, is a kind of material element in respect of original sin. On the other hand, cardinal sins correspond to the sin of an individual personality, and it can be defined as a disorder that appears in relation to the good pursued by certain areas of human nature. These doctrines can be seen not only as an understanding and explanation of human existence, but also as directing educational practice regarding moral life, and rather, they can be seen as being justified by educational practice. Passion can become materials for sin and vice but at the same time, it can also become materials for ethical virtues through its interaction with reason. We are given educational tasks to continuously ethically explore the meaning of goodness and to form habits of virtue.

A Case of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in an Active Duty Military Health Care Worker.

Cases of active tuberculosis (TB) in the U.S. Military have fallen over the last century in large part due to improved screening and treatment options. The subset of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is almost nonexistent within the U.S. Military. We present a case of MDR-TB in an active duty U.S. Military health care worker and discuss several considerations for treatment that may present challenges for U.S. Military medical practitioners. A 30-year-old active duty Soldier was referred to Army public health services after a bronchoscopy sample was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Sputum smears were negative for acid-fast bacilli, suggesting lower risk for community spread. One month after initiation of the standard 4-drug regimen for active TB, genetic susceptibility testing found the patient's M. tuberculosis isolate to be resistant to rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide. Contact investigation efforts among co-workers and family members fortunately found no new interferon-gamma release assay conversions. Coordination of public health assets to ensure a successful treatment regimen occurred across varied local, state, and federal agencies. Atypical medications required coordination with the FDA for procurement. An extensive surveillance plan for medication adverse effects was required. Finally, questions of public health authority versus patient autonomy arose requiring multidisciplinary input and ethical discussions.

Nurses’ perceptions of how their professional autonomy influences the moral dimension of end-of-life care to nursing home residents– a qualitative study

BackgroundOver the years, caring has been explained in various ways, thus presenting various meanings to different people. Caring is central to nursing discipline and care ethics have always had an important place in nursing ethics discussions. In the literature, Joan Tronto’s theory of ethics of care is mostly discussed at the personal level, but there are still a few studies that address its influence on caring within the nursing context, especially during the provision of end-of-life care. This study aims to explore nurses’ perceptions of how their professional autonomy influences the moral dimension of end-of-life care provided to nursing home residents.MethodsThis study has a qualitative descriptive design. Data were collected by conducting five individual interviews and one focus group during a seven-month period between April 2022 and September 2022. Nine nurses employed at four Norwegian nursing homes were the participants in this study. Data were analysed by employing a qualitative deductive content analysis method.ResultsThe content analysis generated five categories that were labelled similar to Tronto’s five phases of the care process: (i) caring about, (ii) caring for, (iii) care giving, (iv) care receiving and (v) caring with. The findings revealed that nurses’ autonomy more or less influences the decision-making care process at all five phases, demonstrating that the Tronto’s theory contributes to greater reflectiveness around what may constitute ‘good’ end-of-life care.ConclusionsTronto’s care ethics is useful for understanding end-of-life care practice in nursing homes. Tronto’s care ethics provides a framework for an in-depth analysis of the asymmetric relationships that may or may not exist between nurses and nursing home residents and their next-of-kin. This can help nurses see and understand the moral dimension of end-of-life care provided to nursing home residents during their final days. Moreover, it helps handle moral responsibility around end-of-life care issues, providing a more complex picture of what ‘good’ end-of-life care should be.

'You Are Not Alone, We've Got You': Power Plays, Devotion, and Punishment on Healthy Eating and Pro-Eating Disorder Websites.

Healthy eating (HE) and pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) websites are popular sources of dietary and weight loss information, social support, and lifestyle inspiration. However, the discursive styles and language used by authors/moderators and users of these two site genres have not been widely studied or compared. Forty-three HE websites and twenty-four pro-ED websites were analysed using Fairclough's model of critical discourse analysis. Findings indicate that sites share common characteristics in terms of power relations played out by authors, 'successful' dieters, and those attending these sites. These power plays encourage moral and spiritual commitment to the care of one's body, with authoritative language used to support readers' loyalty and adherence to dietary plans. On HE sites, medicinal properties were attributed to 'clean' or 'pure' foods, whereas pro-ED sites conveyed their importance for weight reduction. Healthy eating sites were largely entrepreneurial, promoting products or themselves. Pro-eating disorder sites typically featured discussions of bodily disgust, the chastisement of others, and self-discipline in the name of 'Ana', such that dieting came to be framed as part of a devotional, often punitive, body project. On both sites, morality discourses were gendered around the thin female body and the 'ideal mother', with occasional praise for muscular male bodies. Our findings indicate how transitioning from healthy eating preoccupations to eating disorders may be facilitated by normalising discussions about restrictive dieting and the shaming of bodies, overseen by self-appointed diet 'experts' and 'buddies' online.

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: An Empirical Overlook

This research paper delves into the intricate web of ethical concerns surrounding the ever-evolving realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It embarks on a journey to elucidate the multifaceted landscape of AI, spanning its definition, historical evolution, and contemporary applications. The core of this investigation revolves around the pivotal ethical dimensions inherent to AI, encompassing topics such as bias mitigation, privacy preservation, accountability enforcement, transparency enhancement, explainability pursuit, alignment with human values, and the latent potential for AI to exacerbate existing societal inequalities. An extensive review of the existing literature on AI ethics, conducted within this paper, unveils a rich tapestry of insights, illuminating critical findings and charting promising avenues for future research. It maps the evolution of AI ethics discourse, offering an analytical prism to comprehend the evolving contours of this dynamic field. In its concluding remarks, this research paper extends its purview to the global stage, advocating the imperative need for the establishment of international standards governing the ethical deployment of AI. It is an earnest endeavor to synthesize the collective wisdom garnered through this exploration into actionable recommendations that can guide the responsible development and utilization of AI, thereby ensuring that its transformative power is harnessed in a manner that is both technologically profound and ethically impeccable. Keywords AI Ethics, Evolution of AI Ethics, Global Standards, Human Values Alignment

From Conception to Revelation: Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Explored

Prenatal testing plays a crucial role in addressing the inherent unpredictability of genetic disorders that can affect unborn children. Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) has emerged as a groundbreaking tool in the realm of prenatal care, enabling the early detection of chromosomal abnormalities. By examining fetal DNA present in the mother's bloodstream, NIPT has achieved remarkable accuracy rates, surpassing invasive techniques that carry inherent risks. However, with these advancements come ethical considerations. The results of NIPT can significantly influence a mother's decision regarding the continuation or termination of pregnancy. This decision can be further complicated by religious beliefs, which often play a pivotal role in guiding choices related to pregnancy. Moreover, receiving a positive result from NIPT can subject expectant mothers to profound emotional stress, highlighting the need for comprehensive counseling and support services. In addition to these ethical concerns, practical limitations persist. The cost of NIPT remains a substantial barrier for many families, potentially limiting its accessibility. Furthermore, NIPT's accuracy can be influenced by factors such as gestational age, with tests often yielding inconclusive results when fetal fractions are low. Despite these challenges, technological innovations, including microarrays and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), have bolstered the capabilities of NIPT. These advancements enable a more comprehensive assessment of fetal DNA, enhancing the overall quality of prenatal care. As NIPT continues to evolve and integrate with broader genomic technologies, society must engage in thoughtful reflection on its implications. The potential normalization of pregnancy terminations based on genetic information underscores the importance of ethical and societal discussions surrounding the use of NIPT, with a focus on preserving informed patient choices and ensuring comprehensive support for expectant parents facing difficult decisions.