Human annihilation has never been so easy. Artificial intelligence-guided genetic-engineered nanotechnology and robotics (AI-GNR) are widely recognized as our most transformative technological revolution ever, yet we do not even have a common moral language to unite our pluralistic world to prevent an AI apocalypse should this revolution explode out of our control. This book is the first known comprehensive global bioethical analysis of AI and AI-GNR by defining the Thomistic-Aristotelian personalist foundation of the rights and duties-based social contract framework of the United Nations, and then applying it to AI. As such, it creates a compelling approach which will appeal to scientists, health professionals, policy makers, politicians, students, and anyone interested in our shared survival around shared solutions.

This book offers a compelling ethical analysis of challenges in COVID-19 biomedical research, vaccination and therapy. Moreover, it draws attention to popular countermeasures, such as AI-based prevention, lockdowns and vaccinations. Through unique perspectives, it addresses some ethical challenges associated with the pandemic, providing ethical criteria guidelines for health emergencies, focusing on the allocation of limited life-saving resources in a triage situation and the dilemma of who to treat. In addition, the book highlights the necessity of the outlining of a global bioethical framework for pandemic management, rooted in human rights.

This volume examines crucial concerns in palliative care, including the proper balance between comfort and cure for the patient, the integration of spiritual well-being, and the challenges of providing care in the absence of basic medical services and supplies. In the first section, palliative-care pioneers Constance Dahlin, Eduardo Bruera, Neil MacDonald, and Declan Walsh recount the early history of the discipline. Part 2 discusses the role of poetry, prose, plays, and other aspects of the humanities in the practice of palliative care. Part 3 explores essential current issues in the field, including autonomy, the use of opioids, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the evolution of palliative care. The final section focuses on the spiritual dimensions of pain and suffering. Rich with anecdotes and personal stories and featuring contributions from pioneers and current practitioners, The Pursuit of Life is an essential assessment of the past, present, and future of palliative care. In addition to the editors, the contributors include W. Andrew Achenbaum, Stacy L. Auld, Elena Pagani Bagliacca, Costantino Benedetti, Courtenay Bruce, Eduardo Bruera, Joseph Calandrino, Jim Cleary, Constance Dahlin, Andrea Ferrari, Mauro Ferrari, Joseph J. Fins, Bettie Jo Tennon Hightower, Kathryn B. Kirkland, Robin W. Lovin, Neil MacDonald, Charles Millikan, Dominique J. Monlezun, Tullio Proserpio, Giovanna Sironi, Daniel P. Sulmasy, and Declan Walsh.

AI in combination with other innovative technologies promises to bring unprecedented opportunities to all aspects of life. These technologies, however, hold great dangers, especially for the manipulation of the human mind, which have given rise to serious ethical concerns. Apart from some sectoral regulatory efforts to address these concerns, no regulatory framework for AI has yet been adopted though in 2021 the European Commission of the EU published a draft Act on Artificial Intelligence and UNESCO followed suit with a Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The book contextualises the future regulation of AI, specifically addressing the regulatory challenges relating to the planned prohibition of the use of AI systems that deploy subliminal techniques. The convergence of AI with various related technologies, such as brain–computer interfaces, functional magnetic resonance imaging, robotics and big data, already allows for "mind reading" or "dream hacking" through brain spyware, as well as other practices that intrude on cognition and the right to freedom of thought. Future innovations will enhance the possibilities for manipulating thoughts and behaviour, and they threaten to cause serious harm to individuals as well as to society as a whole. The issue of subliminal perception and the ability to deceive and manipulate the mind below the threshold of awareness causes severe difficulties for law and democracy and raises important questions for the future of society. This book shows how cognitive, technological, and legal questions are intrinsically interwoven, and aims to stimulate an urgently needed transdisciplinary and transnational debate between students, academics, practitioners, policymakers and citizens interested not only in the law but also in disciplines including computer science, neuroscience, sociology, political science, marketing and psychology.

This book focuses on the legal regulation, mainly from an international law perspective, of autonomous artificial intelligence systems, of their creations, as well as of the interaction of human and artificial intelligence. It examines critical questions regarding both the ontology of autonomous AI systems and the legal implications: what constitutes an autonomous AI system and what are its unique characteristics? How do they interact with humans? What would be the implications of combined artificial and human intelligence? It also explores potentially the most important questions: what are the implications of these developments for collective security –from both a state-centered and a human perspective, as well as for legal systems? Why is international law better positioned to make such determinations and to create a universal framework for this new type of legal personality? How can the matrix of obligations and rights of this new legal personality be construed and what would be the repercussions for the international community? In order to address these questions, the book discusses cognitive aspects embedded in the framework of law, offering insights based on both de lege lata and de lege ferenda perspectives.

This volume provides an interdisciplinary collection of essays from leaders in various fields addressing the current and future challenges arising from the implementation of AI in brain and mental health. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform health care and improve biomedical research. While the potential of AI in brain and mental health is tremendous, its ethical, regulatory and social impacts have not been assessed in a comprehensive and systemic way. The volume is structured according to three main sections, each of them focusing on different types of AI technologies. Part 1, Big Data and Automated Learning: Scientific and Ethical Considerations, specifically addresses issues arising from the use of AI software, especially machine learning, in the clinical context or for therapeutic applications. Part 2, AI for Digital Mental Health and Assistive Robotics: Philosophical and Regulatory Challenges, examines philosophical, ethical and regulatory issues arising from the use of an array of technologies beyond the clinical context. In the final section of the volume, Part 3 entitled AI in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology: Ethical, Social and Policy Issues, contributions examine some of the implications of AI in neuroscience and neurotechnology and the regulatory gaps or ambiguities that could potentially hamper the responsible development and implementation of AI solutions in brain and mental health. In light of its comprehensiveness and multi-disciplinary character, this book marks an important milestone in the public understanding of the ethics of AI in brain and mental health and provides a useful resource for any future investigation in this crucial and rapidly evolving area of AI application. The book is of interest to a wide audience in neuroethics, robotics, computer science, neuroscience, psychiatry and mental health.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly reshaping global regulatory frameworks, and current discussions on privacy have been thrust into the limelight. The virtual spaces we inhabit and technological advancements demand reevaluating our understanding of privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information. As the world grapples with unprecedented digital transformation, intensified by the global pandemic, exploring the human impact of AI has never been more important. The book, Intersections Between Rights and Technology explores this juncture, dissecting the intricate relationship between the rights we hold dear and the transformative power of technology. This book navigates the complexities of safeguarding human rights in the digital realm with a multidisciplinary lens. Addressing issues of paramount importance—privacy, human dignity, personal safety, and non-discrimination—the book critically examines the evolving landscape and the necessity to recalibrate legal and societal norms. This book is an indispensable resource for scholars, policymakers, law enforcement professionals, and individuals passionate about shaping a digital world where rights are not just respected but actively protected.

The present document is the report of the first expert meeting, which was held 2–4 October 2019 at WHO in Geneva. Participants discussed current and potential artificial intelligence (AI) applications for global health in the context of existing frameworks and human rights standards. The participants considered the main challenges of ethics, governance and equitable access and discussed potential solutions. The expert meeting has established a foundation for the second meeting which was held on 5 and 6 March 2020 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The publication of the WHO guidance document on Ethics and governance of AI for health is envisaged for completion in 2021.