ISSN : 1997-1052 (Print)
2227-202X (Online)
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Navigating the Ethical Terrain of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Moral Theoretical Analysis
Aaqib Zahid
Abstract

The unprecedented and transformative nature of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) presents several ethical challenges. This paper examines such four challenges in the domains of employment, environment, accessibility, and privacy through three key moral theories: utilitarian, deontological, and virtue ethics. Based on a dialectical method, the analysis suggests that the limitations of the theories may lead to immoral and unethical actions or outcomes in 4IR, and therefore, there is a need to synthesize the three theories in navigating 4IR and its innovations ethically and morally. Through the integration of the theories, the paper provides normative suggestions to consider human rights, long-term consequences of actions, and the inclusion of the principles of equity, inclusivity, and learning in determining the morality of 4IR's innovations and their application. This paper is expected to contribute to the international and ethical governance of 4IR technologies.

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