A Study on Moral Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Focusing on the Distinction and Application of Ethics of Artificial Moral Agent (AMA)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the ultimate difference and limitations between humans and machines while addressing the most heated controversy in the era of artificial intelligence, particularly the question of “Can machines think?”, which is considered a critical issue in moral education in the age of artificial intelligence. Methods: To this end, the direction of moral education in the AI era is sought through analysis and reflective discourse on literature materials related to digital technologies such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and machine learning. Results: From the perspective of moral education in the era of artificial intelligence, this study discusses the classification of Artificial Moral Agents (AMA) and the application of ethics, focusing on reflective discourse on science and technological civilization. In other words, it examines three principles of machine construction based on Stuart Russell’s belief in “beneficial machines” from the perspective of “preference”, presents Moors four stages of AMAs, and addresses the concept of explicit ethical agents in the third stage. Additionally, it explores Heidegger's critique of technological civilization and discusses creativity in relation to the controversies surrounding artificial intelligence. Conclusion: Based on this, the present study explored the potential application of moral education in artificial intelligence through the question “Can machines think?”, which can be a core topic in the field of artificial intelligence.