D.pia.Lab researchers Simone Casiraghi and Niels Van Dijk have published a new monograph together from the University of Edinburgh Press.
This new scholarly work, Law, Morality, and Digital Ethics, examines the evolving relationship between legal frameworks, moral philosophy, and the governance of digital technologies. It draws on classical legal theory—including the works of H.L.A. Hart and Jeremy Waldron—as well as contemporary EU policy documents, offering a fresh perspective on how institutionalised ethics influences the regulation of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
The authors employ a Foucault-inspired problematisation approach to revisit traditional debates on law and morality, while also analysing the European Union’s recent initiatives on AI and digital ethics. By comparing historical legal-philosophical discussions with current policy trends, the book reveals new tensions arising from the growing reliance on ethics as a regulatory tool.
One key concern raised is the potential delegitimisation of democratic processes, as expert-driven ethical frameworks often lack the procedural safeguards and accountability mechanisms inherent in traditional rulemaking. The book serves as both a critique and a refinement of contemporary digital governance, making it a relevant contribution for scholars of legal theory, political philosophy, and technology policy.
Law, Morality, and Digital Ethics is now available for researchers and students interested in the philosophical underpinnings of digital regulation.
For those interested, you can use a 30% discount code “NEW30” when ordering the book from: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-law-morality-and-digital-ethi…