Philosophical Considerations: The Ghost in the Machine

AuthorNathan Baker
Pages153-167
153
chapter 7
PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE
Autonomous vehicles will be driven largely by the algorithms programmed
into them. This means that the vehicle can access its decision-making
capabilities from the start. These capabilities may be upgraded or pro-
grammed to learn from experience, but the capability to learn allows
for testing through simulation in a manner that has more variables than
testing human experience on a person-by-person basis. Since not every
conceivable situation can be programmed for, and because driving can
involve inconceivable situations, programs must be developed to provide
for a decision to be made even when it has not been specif‌ically considered
and a response predetermined by programmers.
A. WHAT IS AN ALGORITHM?
An algorithm is a set of rules to be followed in problem solving. The algo-
rithm determines the method with which an action is to be considered.
Algorithms can vary in complexity, from simple—“If an object is detected
in the vehicle’s path, then stop the vehicle”—to vastly complex, with num-
erous variables. Consider the number of steps and assessments a person
must undertake to answer a question such as “How does the vehicle
determine which item to strike if multiple objects enter the roadway and

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