Computational models of ethical reasoning: Challenges, initial steps, and future directions

The progress in developing computational models of ethical reasoning is presented. Donald Searing developed Ethos that provides a few prepackaged example dilemmas, including video clips and interviews, to help students explore real ethical dilemmas that arise in engineering. Robbins, Wallace, and Bill Puka implemented and experimented with more modest system for supporting ethical-problem solving. Their research illustrated the difficulties confronting in building computational models of ethical reasoning. Michael Aderson, Susan Anderson, and Chris Armen developed programs that reason ethically and come to their own ethical conclusions. The first prototype they implemented was Jeremy Bentham's theory of hedonistic act utilitarianism. Cgnitive Tutors are developed based on Jogn Anderson's ACT-R (adaptive control of thought-rational) theory. An empirical study of case comparisons, involving more technically complex ethics cases, will enable refinement and argumentation of comparison rules.