Humanity in the Digital Age

Ethics Rooted in Autonomy, Empathy, and Vulnerability
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-32402-3
Verlag: Palgrave Macmillan

Buch, Englisch, 338 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm

This book explores the ethical challenges posed by the development, deployment, and everyday use of artificial intelligence. It proposes a new conceptual and practical framework for understanding the complex interconnections between technology and society, integrating normative ethical theory with empirical research to develop guidelines for ethically responsible digitalization.

At its core, the book introduces a citizen science model in which scholars and citizens collaboratively co-create knowledge about AI. Through focus groups and questionnaires, it examines the emotional, social, and moral dimensions of people’s interactions with intelligent technologies. This participatory approach bridges academic research and public discourse, emphasizing civic engagement as vital for responsible technological innovation and governance.

The book’s outcomes are both theoretical and practical. It offers a philosophically grounded interpretation of autonomy, vulnerability, and empathy while formulating actionable ethical principles for digital governance. By uniting philosophy, ethics, and public participation, this volume contributes to shaping a digital future that advances technological progress while remaining deeply aligned with human values and social well-being.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Battaglia, Fiorella

Achella, Stefania

Anzalone, Mariafilomena

Donise, Anna

Salvatore, Sergio

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1: Introduction: How Artificial Intelligence Returned Ethics to the Public Sphere.- Part I - Clarification of Ethical Concepts.- Chapter 2: Towards a Democratic Turn in Technological Governance: Autonomy, Empathy, Vulnerability.- Chapter 3: Methodology and Innovation: An Empirical and Cultural Approach to AI Ethics.- Chapter 4: Surveying the Ethical Landscape of AI: Engaging with Key Scholarship and Guidelines.- Part II - Methodological Innovation.- Chapter 5: Empirical Foundations I: How Media Shapes Perceptions of AI.- Chapter 6: Empirical Foundations II: Public Attitudes through Survey Research.- Chapter 7: From Data to Ethics: Interpreting the Findings.- Part III - Ethical Guidelines.- Chapter 8: Ethical Guidelines for a Critical Human-Centered Digitalization.- Part IV - Theory and Practice. Facing Emerging Questions.- Chapter 9: Sub-symbolic and symbolic machine ethics: an introduction.- Chapter 10: Extreme Ethical Challenges: Autonomous Systems in Military Applications.- Chapter 11: Algorithmic Racism: Uncovering Logical Structures and Historical-Philosophical Roots.- Chapter 12: AI Ethics and the Green Transition: The Case of the Puglia Green Hydrogen Valley.- Chapter 13: Nuclear Risk, Autonomous Weapons and Responsibility.- Chapter 14: Cultures and Artificial Intelligence.- Chapter 15: Digital Colonialism and the Denial of Human Vulnerability.- Chapter 16: Regulating AI, Protecting Humanity.- Chapter 17: Conclusion: Rethinking Human Values in the Digital Society.

Über Autor(innen)

Fiorella Battaglia is Professor of Moral Philosophy and Founding Director of the “Laboratory for Ethics in the Wild” at the University of Salento. Since 2013, she has been affiliated with Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Her latest book is Robotic Emotions: Robots and the Challenges of Artificial Morality (2025).
Stefania Achella is Full Professor of History of Philosophy at the University of Chieti-Pescara. She co-edited Vulnerabilities (Springer, 2023) and a 2026 Topoi special issue on human-centeredness and AI ethics.
Mariafilomena Anzalone is Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Basilicata. She authored The Enigma of the Human (2025) and co-edited Reconfiguring Human Autonomy (Springer, 2026).
Anna Donise is Full Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Naples Federico II. She has translated works by Rickert, Husserl, and Jaspers, and co-edited special issues on moral dilemmas, autonomy, mental illness, and creativity. 
Sergio Salvatore is Full Professor of Dynamic Psychology at the University of Salento and visiting professor at WSB Merito University. He has published over 300 works and serves as editor and co-editor of major psychology journals and book series.