On the moral permissibility of robot apologies
Abstract
Robots that incorporate the function of apologizing have emerged in recent years. This paper examines the moral permissibility of making robots apologize. First, I characterize the nature of apology based on analyses conducted in multiple scholarly domains. Next, I present a prima facie argument that robot apologies are not permissible because they may harm human societies by inducing the misattribution of responsibility. Subsequently, I respond to a possible response to the prima facie objection based on the interpretation that attributing responsibility to a robot is analogous to having an attitude toward fiction. Then, I demonstrate that there are cases of robot apologies where the prima facie objection does not apply, by considering the following two points: (1) apology-related practices found in our human-to-human apologies, and (2) a difference in the degree of harm caused by robot failures and the resulting apologies. Finally, given the current norms governing our apology-related practices, I argue that some instances of making robots apologize are permissible, and I propose conducting critical robotics research questioning the validity of such norms.Links
PhilArchive
This entry is not archived by us. If you are the author and have permission from the publisher, we recommend that you archive it. Many publishers automatically grant permission to authors to archive pre-prints. By uploading a copy of your work, you will enable us to better index it, making it easier to find.
Upload a copy of this work Papers currently archived: 84,561
Upload a copy of this work Papers currently archived: 84,561
External links
Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server
Through your library
- Sign in / register and customize your OpenURL resolver
- Configure custom resolver
Similar books and articles
Correction: Review of Robot Rights by David J. Gunkel. [REVIEW]a Kestutis Mosakas - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-1.
Robots among us: ordinary but significant human–robot interactions in the city.a Jeffrey Kok Hui Chan & Yixiao Wang - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-2.
Disillusioned with artificial intelligence: a book review. [REVIEW]a Manh-Tung Ho - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-2.
ChatGPT is not OK! That’s not (just) because it lies.a Deepak P. - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-2.
Artificial intelligence as the new fire and its geopolitics.a Manh-Tung Ho & Hong-Kong T. Nguyen - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-2.
Giordano Bruno’s prescience: tracing the Renaissance influence on artificial intelligence.a Zheng Wang & Di-tao Wu - forthcoming - AI and Society:1-3.
The Creative Landscapes Column: Epidemic. [REVIEW]a Bob Muller - 2002 - AI and Society 16 (1-2):130-137.
Analytics
Added to PP
2023-10-01
Downloads
7 (#1,093,781)
6 months
7 (#132,205)
2023-10-01
Downloads
7 (#1,093,781)
6 months
7 (#132,205)
Historical graph of downloads
References found in this work
Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language.a John Searle - 1969 - Philosophy and Rhetoric 4 (1):59-61.
On the morality of artificial agents.a Luciano Floridi & J. W. Sanders - 2004 - Minds and Machines 14 (3):349-379.
Robots, Law and the Retribution Gap.a John Danaher - 2016 - Ethics and Information Technology 18 (4):299–309.
Expression and Meaning: Studies in the Theory of Speech Acts.a John R. Searle - 1979 - Philosophy 56 (216):270-271.
View all 20 references / Add more references
Home |
New books and articles |
Bibliographies |
Philosophy journals |
About PhilPapers |
API |
Contact us |
Code of conduct
PhilPapers logo by Andrea Andrews and Meghan Driscoll.
This site uses cookies and Google Analytics (see our terms & conditions for details regarding the privacy implications). Use of this site is subject to terms & conditions.
All rights reserved by The PhilPapers Foundation
Server: philpapers-web-85d87cf469-ttjl2 N