philosophy

digital graphic of a city at night, with red lasers shooting through the cityscape

Oct 20, 2025

How to Make ‘Smart City’ Technologies Behave Ethically

New approach allows policymakers and technology developers to better align the values programmed into smart city technologies with the ethics of the people who will be interacting with them.

a bearded man in shirt and tie sites in a seat with a plastic device secured to his head. a computer screen is in the background

Sep 8, 2025

Tackling Ethical Questions About Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Increased use of TMS raises a number of ethical questions. Are health care providers doing enough to track adverse side effects? Are patients able to make informed decisions about TMS?

photo shows the front seat and dashboard of a car, with no driver at the wheel. Lights passing in the windows suggest the car is moving at a high speed.

Dec 1, 2023

To Help Autonomous Vehicles Make Moral Decisions, Researchers Ditch the ‘Trolley Problem’

The goal of the new research is to help autonomous vehicles make “good” decisions.

a glowing brain hovers in front of a metallic backdrop

Apr 28, 2023

The Future Is Now: Wrestling with Ethics, Policy and Brain-Computer Interfaces

Devices that allow computers to interface with the human brain are already here. As these technologies become more widespread, so do questions related to ethics and policy.

security camera looms over a city street

Mar 21, 2023

Study Highlights Complicated Relationship Between AI and Law Enforcement

The study underscores the need for law enforcement officers to better understand the limitations and ethical challenges of AI technologies.

a young girl in a busy shopping area holds the hand of a white robot in a busy shopping area

Oct 10, 2022

Mathematical Formula Tackles Complex Moral Decision-Making in AI

The work focused on technologies in which humans interact with AI programs.

night-time photo shows two lines of traffic, one moving toward the camera, and one moving away from the camera

Aug 23, 2021

Study: Benefits Outweigh Risks for Autonomous Vehicles – As Long As You Regulate Them

The potential benefits of autonomous vehicles could substantially outweigh the risks.

humanoid robot with touchscreen interface

Dec 1, 2020

Tackling Ethics Concerns Regarding Use of ‘Carebots’ to Assist Older Adults

What's actually possible with Carebots? And what's ethical?

x-ray shows electrodes implanted in a human brain

Nov 10, 2020

Studies Outline Key Ethical Questions Surrounding Brain-Computer Interface Tech

Brain-computer interfaces are becoming more common, but ethical questions remain.

aerial photo of a complex highway traffic interchange

Jul 6, 2020

What Ethical Models for Autonomous Vehicles Don’t Address – And How They Could Be Better

What happens if people use autonomous vehicles to do something bad?

code projected onto a person's silhouette

Apr 3, 2020

Talking About How We Talk About the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

How are we thinking (and writing) about AI? And why does it matter?

colorful schematic of connections in the brain

May 8, 2019

The Ethics and Challenges Surrounding Neuroenhancement

New work explores the ethics of neuroenhancement, and calls for legal and regulatory oversight of the emerging technologies.

Aug 20, 2018

Proposal Seeks to Improve Assessment of Drug Risks

A drug policy researcher is proposing a suite of changes to overhaul the Multi-Criteria Drug Harm Scale, which informs drug policies across Europe.

Mar 12, 2018

Study Tackles Neuroscience Claims to Have Disproved ‘Free Will’

Some researchers have argued neuroscience studies prove that free will is an illusion. But a new analysis of these studies shows that many contained methodological inconsistencies and conflicting results.

May 16, 2017

Study: ‘Moral Enhancement’ Technologies Are Neither Feasible Nor Wise

Recent study finds “moral enhancement technologies” are neither feasible nor wise, based on an assessment of existing research.