Carebots and the virtue of care

Abstract

The rapid growth and progress of artificial intelligence (AI) ensued striking developments such as carebots with the great capacity to complete intended tasks without human interference through machine-and deep-learning. This advanced capacity may potentially replace human caregivers with carebots in healthcare contexts, especially where human and financial resources are insufficient. However, before welcoming such potential replacement, it is necessary to question what kind of care is ethically essential in healthcare contexts and if carebots can provide this sort of care when/if they replace human caregivers. The significance of human care is highlighted by the argument that it is not morally defensible to replace human caregivers with carebots to provide care as they cannot possess the virtue of care, which is essential to providing good care. In support of this conclusion, I first argue that carebots cannot care in the same way that humans can, although they may act as though they care through emotional computing. Carebots lack the virtue of care because it requires caregivers to respond to the feelings and the suffering of the care recipient through affection, sympathy and empathy. I then argue that the virtue of care is the master virtue required in caregivers to promote good health. It follows both arguments that it is ethically essential for caregivers to possess the virtue of care and that only human caregivers can have this virtue. Consequently, it would be ethically unacceptable to replace human caregivers with carebots