Ideal theory in AI ethics

10/31/2020

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by   Daniel Estrada, et al.

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This paper addresses the ways AI ethics research operates on an ideology of ideal theory, in the sense discussed by Mills (2005) and recently applied to AI ethics by Fazelpour & Lipton (2020). I address the structural and methodological conditions that attract AI ethics researchers to ideal theorizing, and the consequences this approach has for the quality and future of our research community. Finally, I discuss the possibilities for a nonideal future in AI ethics.