VIScon Workshop: Introducing EeVA - An Ethical eValuation Agent
Event start time 10.10.2026 10:00
Event end time 10.10.2026 11:30
This event is only available for VIScon Symposium or Hackathon participants, as well as Helpers! Please sign up for one of these events first!
We will introduce non-ethically trained computer scientists to a new tool to help with moral deliberation around ethically ladened challenges they may face. The tool does not provide ‘right or wrong’ answers, but enables an easily accessible scaffold for ethical thinking. In particular, the tool (and the entire talk) will help computer scientists understand how ethics functions and how it can be usefully applied in technical contexts by those who are non-ethically trained. Abstract: This session will introduce a ground-breaking new tool: EeVA – the Ethical eValuation Agent. This tool is a practical response to a common problem computer scientists regularly encounter. Often computer scientists must produce solutions to problems that are ethically ladened. Either they seek to solve the problems themselves without ethical training/resources, or they seek out someone who is ethically-trained. They assume that ethicists can tell them what the ‘right’ or ‘ethical’ response to the problem is. The assumption is that ethical principles can be translated into determinate design requirements, checklists, or compliance metrics. Yet many moral problems, especially those arising from technological advancements, are not “tame” problems awaiting correct answers, but plural, contested, and institutionally situated dilemmas. EeVA is an agentic-style LLM workflow designed not to issue ethical verdicts, but to scaffold structured ethical deliberation across multiple normative frameworks. EeVA evaluates a given use-case against ten ethical frameworks – deontology, utilitarianism, Rawlsian justice, rights-based ethics, contractualism, principlism, virtue ethics, care ethics, communitarianism, and casuistry – before a synthesising model produces a comparative assessment for non-ethically trained users. Proof-of-concept testing indicated that EeVA is a promising way forward in the use of AI for ethically ladened challenges. This session will introduce the tool to computer scientists and engage in active debate around its use, limitations and ethical challenges.
Additional slots might become available later on. Please use the waiting list!
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Details and Prerequisites
Workshops may require items VIScon cannot provide (e.g., a Laptop) which you have to bring with you or to set up something (e.g., install software) that would otherwise take up a significant chunk of the workshop. You may also need knowledge in certain fields (e.g., how to program in a specific language). All of this information can be found in the following paragraphs, so you can decide whether you want/can participate in this workshop, or not.
What you have to bring to the workshop:
- A Laptop
- An example of a technical paper you have read/worked on that has ethical implications, e.g. Traffic management algorithms
What you have to do before the workshop:
Nothing.
Knowledge requirements(/recommendations) for this workshop:
Nothing.
FAQ
Why can't I sign up for this workshop?
If you signed up for the main event after the early access deadline (8:00pm, 18th of September), you can sign up from the 21st of September. But don't worry, we will send you a reminder when the sign up opens. Early access is our way to thank early supporters!
The fine print
By participating you agree that pictures and videos can be taken of you that could be used for VIS-Purposes (VISIONEN, Instagram, etc)
By participating, you agree to adhere by the VIS Code of Conduct
Every participant is responsible for their own insurance
All statements are made without guarantee
In general, there are no refunds
Event organisers
Main event organiser Kaushik Vempati