Machine on Trial
Abstract
Will a machine someday be held accountable for its actions? This paper provides one view of events to answer the question how trustworthy and reliable must an Autonomous Lethal Engagement (ALE) system have to be to satisfy ethical and legal requirements? A fictional legal argument acts as the framework to debate this question. The more quantitative side of reliability relates to discrimination while the qualitative aspect of trustworthiness relates to proportionality. Context matters with respect to the ethical argument. Historically, acceptable ethical lines at both the national and societal levels vary based on the context surrounding actions. From precedence, how one kills matters less than why one kills with two notable exceptions. How one kills matters with regard to 1) distinction of target and discrimination of friendly or neutral entities and 2) the effective proportionality of the kill. The crux of the central thesis question is a related question that drives the theoretical legal proceeding; can a machine be held accountable for its actions? By taking a broad look at the legal, ethical, philosophical, and technical fields surrounding the emergence of ALEs, one potential future is evaluated.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- AD1019432
Entities
People
- Marjorie V. Quant
Organizations
- Air University