Killing Machines: A Moral Analysis of Autonomous Weapons Systems

In this paper, I will argue that the use of autonomous weapons systems is immoral for two reasons. The first is that they are unable to form intent when acting – something we need in order to morally evaluate our actions – and that we need to morally evaluate our actions when we carry out actions of moral weight, like taking a life. The second is that autonomous weapons systems cannot account for shifting conventional morality, so they could cause problems in war, where morality can shift very rapidly. I will also contest my view against a number of objections and recount the other literature vital to this debate.