Silber, Rachel Rose2025-08-062024Silber, Rachel Rose. (2024). Compassion, Ethics, and AI in Literary Works by Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Marge Piercy and Ted Chiang [Masters dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/45762https://hdl.handle.net/10539/45762A research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in English, In the Faculty of Humanities, School of Language and Literature, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024This dissertation considers the literary presentation of empathy and compassion in AI-human relations and the contingent ethical implications. It critically examines how four authors, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Marge Piercy, and Ted Chiang, imagine AI and robots, not as dystopian symbols of technological menace, but as entities capable of empathetic connections with humans. Contrasting traditional narratives that focus on the dangers of AI, this study highlights a shift towards a nuanced representation where AI exhibits characteristics of emotional responsiveness and compassion. Using a posthumanist theoretical framework, the paper explores the ethical implications of these portrayals, challenging the boundaries of moral responsibility towards artificial beings. This approach not only offers a fresh perspective on AI in literature but also provokes a re-evaluation of our societal and ethical norms in the age of advanced technology. This study aims to contribute to a revision of our understanding of humanity and empathy in the context of our evolving relationship with AI.en© 2024 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.UCTDArtificial IntelligenceLiteratureScience FictionCompassionEthicsEmpathyDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgSDG-4: Quality educationSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure