Agape and Algorithms: Reframing Artificial Intelligence Ethics in Africa Through Fletcherian Situational Ethics

Abstract

Concerns regarding ethical issues, such as algorithmic fairness, accountability, transparency, and the preservation of human dignity, have increased due to the fast integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into a variety of global sectors. Principles like safety, explainability, and regulatory compliance are given top priority in many of the current global AI governance frameworks. The sociocultural, historical, and communal dynamics that are common in African communities may not be sufficiently accommodated by these methods, which are frequently drawn from Western intellectual traditions. The potential of situational ethics, specifically, Joseph Fletcher's agape-focused framework, as a further lens for evaluating AI systems in African contexts is examined in this research. Employing the hermeneutic method of inquiry, the topic illustrates how situational ethics’ fundamental components: pragmatism, relativism, positivism, and personalism, can promote context-sensitive assessments of AI through conceptual analysis. This viewpoint emphasizes human and communal well-being over rigid regulations, placing agape (selfless, other-oriented love) as the paramount norm. It provides a way to align AI deployment with African relational and communitarian values, such as those embodied in the Ubuntu philosophy of relationality. This paper suggests that Fletcher’s agapeic framework may solve epistemic inequities in global AI discourse and fosters inclusive technology growth by fusing situational ethics with traditional African philosophies.