Ethical Theories
The ethical theory asserting that the greatest happiness for the greatest number should guide moral actions.
What is utilitarianism?
A thought experiment involving a runaway trolley where you must choose between diverting the trolley to kill one person or allowing it to kill five.
What is the trolley problem?
The set of research ethics principles for human experimentation developed after World War II war crimes trials.
What is the Nuremberg Code?
The principle that automated decision systems should avoid bias and treat all users fairly.
What is algorithmic fairness?
The environmental philosophy asserting that nature has intrinsic value independent of its usefulness to humans.
What is deep ecology?
The ethical theory developed by Immanuel Kant that focuses on duty and universal moral laws.
What is deontology?
A variation of the trolley problem where you consider pushing a large person onto the track to stop the trolley and save five others.
What is the fat man problem?
The process by which researchers must ensure participants understand the risks, benefits, and purpose of a study before agreeing to take part.
What is informed consent?
User interface tricks designed to manipulate or coerce people into making choices they might not otherwise make.
What are dark patterns?
The 2015 international treaty aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
What is the Paris Agreement?