On Quantified Modal Theorem Proving for Modeling Ethics
This work addresses the need for specialized automated reasoning tools in ethical modeling for autonomous systems, but it appears incremental as it only provides a sketch of an algorithm without concrete implementation or results.
The paper tackles the problem of automating proof generation for a quantified modal logic used to model ethical theories, specifically the deontic cognitive event calculus (DCEC), by outlining its distinct characteristics and presenting a sketch of an algorithm to assist with proof automation.
In the last decade, formal logics have been used to model a wide range of ethical theories and principles with the goal of using these models within autonomous systems. Logics for modeling ethical theories, and their automated reasoners, have requirements that are different from modal logics used for other purposes, e.g. for temporal reasoning. Meeting these requirements necessitates investigation of new approaches for proof automation. Particularly, a quantified modal logic, the deontic cognitive event calculus (DCEC), has been used to model various versions of the doctrine of double effect, akrasia, and virtue ethics. Using a fragment of DCEC, we outline these distinct characteristics and present a sketches of an algorithm that can help with some aspects proof automation for DCEC.