Algorethics

Definition

The ethical paradigm (termed algor-etica by the Pontifical Academy for Life and Pope Francis) advocating for the systematic, intentional encoding of fundamental human rights, ethical constraints, and human dignity directly into algorithmic design, dataset curation, and automated decision-making pipelines.

Key Characteristics

• Primacy of the Human Person: Technological tools must serve human flourishing rather than subordinating human worth to optimization metrics.
• Irreducible Human Responsibility: Decisions involving lethal force, criminal sentencing, or vital social access must never be fully automated to algorithmic systems.
• Inclusivity & Common Good: Mitigating algorithmic discrimination and protecting vulnerable populations from extractive data regimes.

Applications

• Multidisciplinary AI ethics curricula and governance policy (e.g., Rome Call for AI Ethics).
• Value-sensitive design in software engineering.

Mentions in Source

• “Advocates for embedding ethical principles directly into the design, training, and deployment of algorithms.” — G7 Address on Artificial Intelligence