A Companion to Applied Philosophy of AI
Blackwell Companions to Philosophy
1. Edition October 2025
464 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
A comprehensive guide to AI's ethical, epistemological, and legal impacts through applied philosophy
Inartificial intelligence (AI) influences nearly every aspect of society. A Companion to Applied Philosophy of AI provides a critical philosophical framework for understanding and addressing its complexities. Edited by Martin Hähnel and Regina Müller, this volume explores AI's practical implications in epistemology, ethics, politics, and law. Moving beyond a narrow ethical perspective, the authors advocate for a multi-faceted approach that synthesizes diverse disciplines and perspectives, offering readers a nuanced and integrative understanding of AI's transformative role.
The Companion explores a broad range of topics, from issues of transparency and expertise in AI-driven systems to discussions of ethical theories and their relevance to AI, such as consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics. Filling a significant gap in the current academic literature, this groundbreaking volume also addresses AI's broader social, political, and legal dimensions, equipping readers with practical frameworks to navigate this rapidly evolving field.
Offering fresh and invaluable insights into the interplay between philosophical thought and technological innovation, A Companion to Applied Philosophy of AI:
* Features contributions from leading philosophers and interdisciplinary experts
* Offers a unique applied philosophy perspective on artificial intelligence
* Covers diverse topics including ethics, epistemology, politics, and law
* Encourages interdisciplinary dialogue to better understand AI's profound implications for humanity
A Companion to Applied Philosophy of AI is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in applied philosophy, AI ethics, political theory, and legal philosophy. It is also a vital reference for those working in areas including AI policy, governance, and interdisciplinary research.
Acknowledgments xii
Part I Methodological Foundations 1
1 Introduction to Applied Philosophy of AI: Foundations, Contexts, and Perspectives 3
Martin Hähnel and Regina Müller
2 Philosophy of AI: A Structured Overview 14
Vincent C. Müller
3 Applied Philosophy of AI as Conceptual Design 31
Luciano Floridi
Part II Relevant Areas of Research 39
Applied Epistemology of AI 41
4 AI and Knowledge of the Self 43
Paula Boddington
5 AI and the Philosophy of Expertise and Epistemic Authority 55
Rico Hauswald
6 Deep Opacity in AI: A Threat to XAI and Standard Privacy Protection Mechanisms 71
Vincent C. Müller
7 Explainability in Algorithmic Decision Systems 82
John Basl and David G. Grant
8 Epistemology and Politics of AI 104
Oliver Buchholz and Karoline Reinhardt
9 AI and Epistemic Injustice 118
Mirjam Faissner, Janne Lenk, and Regina Müller
Applied Ethics of AI I: Conceptual Sources 133
10 Ethical Theories for AI: Systematizing the Discourse 135
Martin Hähnel and Regina Müller
11 Deontology in AI 151
Thomas M. Powers
12 Consequentialism and AI 165
Jörg Schroth
13 Virtue Ethics and AI 178
Kathi Beier
14 Feminist Ethics and AI 192
Regina Müller
Applied Ethics of AI II: Fields and Intersections of Application 209
15 Robots, Wrasse, and the Evolution of Reciprocity 211
Michael T. Dale
16 Ethical Design of Datafication by Principles of Biomedical Ethics 224
Antonia Kempkens
17 Embedding Ethics into Medical AI 238
Lukas J. Meier
18 Simulating Moral Exemplars: On the Possibility of Virtuous Machines 249
Marten H.L. Kaas
19 Trust in AI 265
Karoline Reinhardt
20 Are Large Language Models Embodied?: Basic Empathy with Disembodied Others 278
Abootaleb Safdari
Applied Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy of AI 293
21 The Social Turn in the Ethics of AI: Between Deliberation and Relational Justice 295
Hugo Cossette-Lefebvre
22 AI, Critical Theory, and the Concept of Progress 310
Rosalie Waelen and Larissa Bolte
23 Artificial Power: Power, Technoperformances, and the Politics of AI 322
Mark Coeckelbergh
24 AI and Fundamental Rights 344
John-Stewart Gordon
25 Global Governance of AI, Cultural Values, and Human Rights 359
Pak-Hang Wong
26 Collective Ownership of AI 372
Markus Furendal
27 AI Personhood 387
David J. Gunkel
Part III The Future of Applied Philosophy of AI 399
28 The Future of Human Responsibility: AI, Responsibility Gaps, and Asymmetries Between Praise and Blame 401
Sven Nyholm
29 Artificial Moral Agents 415
Catrin Misselhorn
30 AI-aided Moral Enhancement: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges 428
Andrea Berber
Index 442
REGINA MÜLLER is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bremen. Her work addresses the ethical dimensions of technology, especially in health care and medicine. She focuses on the intersections of digital ethics, medical ethics and structural injustice, with a strong emphasis on feminist perspectives.