The ANU Law and Philosophy Forum is delighted to announce its third meeting in 2023: Dr Jeremy Moses (University of Canterbury) will present his paper on “Algorithmic Bias and the Limits of International Legal Activism on Lethal Autonomous Weapons”.

All are welcome to attend.

Over recent years, debate over the development and regulation of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) has increasingly focused on the problem of algorithmic bias. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, a coalition of activist groups aiming to promote international legal regulation of LAWS, is now centring the problem of algorithmic bias in its campaign messaging. This focus on algorithmic bias represents a failure to grasp the politics of war, which is fundamentally a manifestation of extreme, lethal bias. The argument that we should be worried about the potential lethal bias of robotic war should, therefore, lead to the conclusion that the extreme bias expressed in all war is morally unacceptable and should be outlawed. In failing to take this radical step and focusing only on the potential bias of LAWS, campaigners for international legal regulation demonstrate the limits of the international humanitarian law agenda and highlight the role it plays in normalising war in general.

Date and time: Wednesday 24 May, 1-2pm AEDT

This session will be held in person at the ANU College of Law, in the Philippa Weeks Library, room 7.4.1.

For those who are unable to attend in person, there is a Zoom option, and the Zoom details accessible upon registration.

About the speaker

Jeremy Moses is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. His research interests are in the ethics of war and intervention, with a particular focus on realism, pacifism, humanitarianism, and military technology. His publications include the book Sovereignty and Responsibility and articles in journals including Review of International Studies, International Politics, Cooperation and Conflict, Critical Studies on Security, Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, and Digital War.

We look forward to hosting Jeremy Moses at the Forum, and hope you will be able to attend.

About the ANU Law and Philosophy Forum

The ANU Law and Philosophy Forum is an interdisciplinary group focused on issues spanning law and philosophy.

Its core purpose is to promote research, discussion, and exchanges on various topics in law and philosophy, covering aspects of both private law and public law, and issues within both legal and political philosophy.

The Forum hosts guest speakers, holds workshops, and discusses recent scholarship of note in the field. Meetings are open to faculty members and research students from the College of Law and the School of Philosophy, and friends and colleagues of both.