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RubyConf 2018 - Being Good: An Introduction to Robo- and Machine Ethics by Eric Weinstein Machines are all around us: recommending our TV shows, planning our car trips, and running our day-to-day lives via AI assistants like Siri and Alexa. We know humans should act ethically, but what does that mean when building computer systems? Are machines themselves—autonomous vehicles, neural networks that diagnose cancer, algorithms that identify trends in police data—capable of ethical behavior? In this talk, we'll examine the implications of artificial moral agents and their relationships with the humans who build them through the lens of multiple case studies.
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In his talk "Being Good: An Introduction to Robo- and Machine Ethics" at RubyConf 2018, Eric Weinstein explores the ethical dimensions of software engineering and the responsibilities of developers in creating technologies that impact human lives. He highlights that machines, from AI assistants to autonomous vehicles, are deeply integrated into our daily lives, raising crucial ethical questions about their decision-making capabilities. Weinstein outlines key concepts and frameworks that guide ethical software development, alongside real-world case studies illustrating the consequences of negligence in programming. **Key Points Discussed:** - Importance of ethical programming practices in engineering and technology. - Distinction between robo-ethics (human ethical behavior in engineering) and machine ethics (designing ethical artificial agents). - Three types of ethical theories relevant to programming: utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and casuistry. - The stakes of software failures, as illustrated through case studies: - **Therac-25**: A radiation therapy machine that caused patient overdoses due to software faults, emphasizing the need for rigorous testing and accountability in medical technology. - **Volkswagen Emissions Scandal**: Highlighted corporate deceit leading to severe health consequences and the moral obligation of developers to prioritize ethical decisions over profit. - **Ethereum DAO Hack**: A vulnerability in blockchain technology revealing the lack of accountability within community responses to unethical practices. - Examination of modern technologies like facial recognition, predictive policing, and autonomous vehicles, raising questions about privacy, bias, and decision-making. - Advocacy for the implementation of a code of ethics in software development, similar to the medical profession's Hippocratic oath. - Call for developers to actively oppose unethical software practices and embrace accountability by forming alliances like the 'Legion of Benevolent Software Developers.' **Conclusions/Takeaways:** Weinstein encourages active participation in ethical software development by promoting candid discussions, learning from past mistakes, and creating frameworks for accountability. He stresses that neutrality in ethical matters allows failures to continue unchallenged, reinforcing the idea that developers must take a stand to foster ethical practices in technology.
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