Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots
In this paper, a working hypothesis is proposed that a nervous system for pain sensation is a key component for shaping the conscious minds of robots (artificial systems). In this article, this hypothesis is argued from several viewpoints towards its verification. A developmental process of empathy,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Philosophies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/4/3/38 |
| _version_ | 1797227574379675648 |
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| author | Minoru Asada |
| author_facet | Minoru Asada |
| author_sort | Minoru Asada |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, a working hypothesis is proposed that a nervous system for pain sensation is a key component for shaping the conscious minds of robots (artificial systems). In this article, this hypothesis is argued from several viewpoints towards its verification. A developmental process of empathy, morality, and ethics based on the mirror neuron system (MNS) that promotes the emergence of the concept of self (and others) scaffolds the emergence of artificial minds. Firstly, an outline of the ideological background on issues of the mind in a broad sense is shown, followed by the limitation of the current progress of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on deep learning. Next, artificial pain is introduced, along with its architectures in the early stage of self-inflicted experiences of pain, and later, in the sharing stage of the pain between self and others. Then, cognitive developmental robotics (CDR) is revisited for two important concepts—physical embodiment and social interaction, both of which help to shape conscious minds. Following the working hypothesis, existing studies of CDR are briefly introduced and missing issues are indicated. Finally, the issue of how robots (artificial systems) could be moral agents is addressed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:42:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9461b76c44e648318fedc9080be6352d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2409-9287 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:42:58Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Philosophies |
| spelling | doaj.art-9461b76c44e648318fedc9080be6352d2024-04-02T20:38:05ZengMDPI AGPhilosophies2409-92872019-07-014338010.3390/philosophies4030038philosophies4030038Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of RobotsMinoru Asada0Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, JapanIn this paper, a working hypothesis is proposed that a nervous system for pain sensation is a key component for shaping the conscious minds of robots (artificial systems). In this article, this hypothesis is argued from several viewpoints towards its verification. A developmental process of empathy, morality, and ethics based on the mirror neuron system (MNS) that promotes the emergence of the concept of self (and others) scaffolds the emergence of artificial minds. Firstly, an outline of the ideological background on issues of the mind in a broad sense is shown, followed by the limitation of the current progress of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on deep learning. Next, artificial pain is introduced, along with its architectures in the early stage of self-inflicted experiences of pain, and later, in the sharing stage of the pain between self and others. Then, cognitive developmental robotics (CDR) is revisited for two important concepts—physical embodiment and social interaction, both of which help to shape conscious minds. Following the working hypothesis, existing studies of CDR are briefly introduced and missing issues are indicated. Finally, the issue of how robots (artificial systems) could be moral agents is addressed.https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/4/3/38painempathymoralitymirror neuron system (MNS) |
| spellingShingle | Minoru Asada Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots Philosophies pain empathy morality mirror neuron system (MNS) |
| title | Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots |
| title_full | Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots |
| title_fullStr | Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots |
| title_full_unstemmed | Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots |
| title_short | Artificial Pain May Induce Empathy, Morality, and Ethics in the Conscious Mind of Robots |
| title_sort | artificial pain may induce empathy morality and ethics in the conscious mind of robots |
| topic | pain empathy morality mirror neuron system (MNS) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/4/3/38 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT minoruasada artificialpainmayinduceempathymoralityandethicsintheconsciousmindofrobots |