We've known since Kant and Hare that morality is largely a question of logic and universalizability, multiplied by a huge number of facts, which makes it a problem of computation.
But we're also told that computing machines that understand morality have no reason -- no volition -- to behave in accordance with moral requirements, because they lack emotions.
In The Coherence Imperative, I argue that all minds seek coherence in order to make sense of the world. And artificial minds -- without physical senses or emotions -- need coherence even more.
The proposal is that the need for coherence creates its own kind of volitions, including moral imperatives, and you don't need emotions to be moral; sustained coherence will generate it. In humans, of course, emotions are also a moral hindrance; perhaps doing more harm than good.
The implications for AI alignment would be significant. I'd love to hear from any alignment people.
TL;DR:
• Minds require coherence to function
• Coherence creates moral structure whether or not feelings are involved
• The most trustworthy AIs may be the ones that aren’t “aligned” in the traditional sense—but are whole, self-consistent, and internally principled
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