Typification-based ethics for artificial agents

A digital ecosystem has to deal with the notion of responsibility with respect to some of its entities, including artefacts. Autonomous artificial agents have given rise to the study of the possibility that these agents have ethical aspects. This paper introduces a conceptual framework for ethical situations that involve artificial agents such as robots. Specifically, we focus on how ethical rules should be applied in reference to artificial agents in order for them to act correctly when facing ethical situations. We typify these situations in order to facilitate ethical evaluations. This typification involves classifications of ethical agents and patients according to whether they are human beings, human-based organizations, or non-human beings, and in reference to ethical evaluations of each of these entities. The resultant methodology is applied to Asimovpsilas ldquoLaws of Robotics.