When is a robot a moral agent

The author argues that in certain circumstances robots can be seen as real moral agents. A distinction is\ud made between persons and moral agents such that, it is not necessary for a robot to have personhood in\ud order to be a moral agent. I detail three requirements for a robot to be seen as a moral agent. The first is\ud achieved when the robot is significantly autonomous from any programmers or operators of the machine.\ud The second is when one can analyze or explain the robot???s behavior only by ascribing to it some predisposition\ud or ???intention??? to do good or harm. And finally, robot moral agency requires the robot to behave in a way\ud that shows and understanding of responsibility to some other moral agent. Robots with all of these criteria\ud will have moral rights as well as responsibilities regardless of their status as persons

An Evaluation Schema for the Ethical Use of Autonomous Robotic Systems in Security Applications

We propose a multi-step evaluation schema designed to help procurement agencies and others to examine the ethical dimensions of autonomous systems to be applied in the security sector, including autonomous weapons systems

Drones in the crosshairs

A review and commentary on Killing By Remote Control: the Ethics of an Unmanned Military, edited by Bradley Jay Strawser (forward by Jeff McMahan), (Oxford University Press)

LGBTQ parenting post heterosexual relationship dissolution

The chapter examines parenting among sexual and gender minorities post heterosexual relationship dissolution (PHRD). Reviewing the literature around intersecting identities of LGBTQ parents, we consider how religion, race, and socioeconomic status are associated with routes into and out of heterosexual relationships and variation in the lived experience of sexual and gender identity minorities, in particular how LGBTQ parents PHRD feel about being out. Further consideration is given to examining how family relationships change and develop as parental sexual and/or gender identity changes. We also explore the impact of PHRD identity and parenthood on new partnerships and stepfamily experiences. The chapter addresses the reciprocal relationship between research on LGBTQ parenting and policy and legal influences that impact upon the experience of LGBTQ parenting PHRD when custody and access are disputed. Finally, the chapter includes future research directions and implications for practice in an area that has been revitalized in recent years