Eliciting Values for Technology Design with Moral Philosophy: An Empirical Exploration of Effects and Shortcomings

Abstract

Calls for an ethically aligned technology design have led companies to publish lists of value principles that their engineers should adhere to. However, it is questionable whether such lists can grasp a technology’s wide-ranging ethical implications. The bottom-up elicitation of values from the specific technology context avoids problems that predefined lists of values have but has been criticized for lacking an ethical foundation. In this empirical study, we explore how three grand ethical theories of Western philosophy—utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and deontology—can support the discovery of values. Based on three technologies, our results show that ethical perspectives can support IT professionals in identifying values that are not only context-specific but also cater to higher ethical principles (i.e., intrinsic values) and a broad spectrum of sustainability goals (e.g., economic, technical, individual). Each theory of ethics served a unique role in the identification of ethical issues and value potentials of a technology. However, results also suggest a focus on mainstream values and individual values while environmental issues were neglected. We conclude that theories of ethics encourage different perspectives on a specific technology and thus argue for a pluralist ethical basis for values in technology design.

Designing Driving Automation for Human Autonomy: Self-determination, the Good Life, and Social Deliberation

“…As an instance of applied ethics [1], the ethics of technology is characterised by the exposure to a highly multifaceted set of challenges [17]. On a conceptual level, ethical values and notions relevant to the case at hand must be identified, determined, and discussed [2,57]. On a practical level, the various needs, interests, expectations, perspectives, and aims of different stakeholders must be considered and agreement must be sought out of inclusive social deliberation processes [45,47,66].…”

“…1 Suppose, for instance, that users could legitimately lay claims on ethical decisions regarding CAV behaviour during unavoidable collisions, as Millar suggests [36]. 2 As a consequence, they would have to be put in the condition of deciding how to shape CAV behaviour during these traffic situations. Admittedly, in a context of full automation user control over operational and tactical levels could only be accomplished indirectly-e.g., through the setting of user preferences.…”

“…Their framework however clearly explains how ethical choices about the protection of the moral agency and responsibility of different actors should be reflected in design and policy choices. 2 For a different opinion, see e.g. [20].…”