Robots and Humans: from the perspective of neuro-ethics

Szolcsányi, Tibor (2025) Robots and Humans: from the perspective of neuro-ethics. Central European Theological Review. Annual Theological Journal, 2 (SI). pp. 27-32. ISSN 3057-9619

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Abstract

Advances in artificial intelligence, particularly in deep learning systems, have renewed debates about the possible moral and legal status of intelligent machines. These discussions extend beyond the question of future AI rights and directly engage considerations about the neuroethical foundations of human dignity and human rights. Because contemporary AI architectures are, in certain respects, functionally analogous to aspects of human brain organization, it becomes necessary to clarify which features of neural functioning are ethically relevant for the attribution of moral status.This essay examines one influential theory used to justify human and animal rights: Tom Regan’s account of inherent moral worth. It analyzes Regan’s notion of being an experiencing subject of a life and offers a phenomenological interpretation that emphasizes the role of phenomenal consciousness in human motivation and preference formation. The paper argues that, although intelligent machines may exhibit complex goal-directed behavior, there is currently insufficient justification for attributing moral rights to them. At the same time, the analysis demonstrates how debates about AI rights deepen our understanding of the neuroethical foundations of human dignity.

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