Responding to the normativity problem in machine ethics through the Power of the Other

Abstract

Contemporary debates in the source of normativity in machine ethics display a growing tendency to separate instrumental rationality from practical reason. The rationalist approach understands AI as an extension of the ideal rational agent, presupposing strong autonomy to ground normativity in internal coherence. Rationalist approaches exclude the possibility of understanding the external world through instrumental means and therefore fail to provide an adequate answer to the problem of normativity. The reasons why individuals act morally are not reducible to the validity of rational argumentation itself. Rather, any response to the problem of normativity must be grounded in respect for humanity and in the recognition of one’s own intrinsic value. The externalist approach treats machines as bearers or executors of moral law and can be divided into rigorist and teleological models. Yet, in both cases, AI is ultimately confined to an instrumental existence, and moral responsibility becomes difficult to sustain insofar as human agents are characterized by weak autonomy or problematized forms of autonomy. By invoking the Power of the Other in response to structural pressures in digital life, rather than compelling individuals to conform to algorithmic logic, this perspective promotes an open moral framework. It emphasizes ethical engagement grounded in relational awareness, enabling individuals to navigate the complexities of algorithmically mediated environments while maintaining attentiveness to the Other and the ethical significance of their actions.