Ethical Considerations for the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems

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Abstract:

The character of warfare is on the cusp of a massive transformation. Autonomous technologies and an increasing reliance on human-machine collaboration will redefine how war is waged in future conflicts. It is inevitable that lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) will be a ubiquitous and decisive form of combat power on the battlefield in the near future. As militaries become more dependent upon lethal autonomous technologies, ethical dilemmas surrounding their use will emerge. The predominate ethical debate over LAWS is concentrated around the acceptableness of lethal decisions made without human intervention or concurrence. This thesis addresses this question in particular as it seeks to determine if it is ethical for the U.S. military to employ LAWS. In examining this question, a normative ethics approach was pursued using the Ethical Triangle Decision Making Model. Deontological, consequential, and virtuous perspectives were the three viewpoints utilized in the study to investigate the ethical use of LAWS. The results of this study find that the U.S. military is justified in employing human-on-the-loop LAWS.

Author(s):
Michael, Curtis R.
Author Organization(s):
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Funding Organization(s):
Publication Date:
2019 Jun 14
Pagination:
0

Security Markings

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Modernization Areas:
Autonomy
Communities of Interest:
Autonomy
Descriptor(s):
autonomous weapons, war colleges, weapons effects, air force, unmanned systems, drone targeting, human-machine systems, national security, international law, aircrafts, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, department of defense, governments, test and evaluation, control systems, ejection seats
Keyword(s):
Ethics, Military ethics, Military technology, Military decision making, Employment (of forces, ; Justification (Ethics), Military profession, Just war doctrine, Lethal autonomous weapon systems
Subject Categories:
Ordnance
Update Date:
2020 Oct 02