Machine Consciousness and Machine Ethics

Steve Torrance

Institute for Social and Health Research
Middlesex University
Queensway, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4SA
UK
s.torrance@mdx.ac.uk

Abstract

Questions about the possibility of genuine consciousness existing in future artificial humanoids are closely tied up with ethical considerations. I discuss how the assumed presence or absence of consciousness in artificial persons might make a difference to our ethical attitudes towards them.