Phil McNally

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Phil McNally is a pioneering scholar in the emerging field of robot ethics and the legal status of artificial entities. His seminal 1988 paper, "The rights of robots," with 65 citations, stands as one of the earliest and most influential works to argue that as machines become increasingly autonomous and intelligent, they may warrant moral and legal consideration. McNally’s contribution lies in framing the debate around personhood and rights for non-human agents, long before AI became a mainstream concern. He explores the philosophical and legal implications of granting robots rights, challenging assumptions about consciousness, sentience, and moral agency. This foundational work has shaped subsequent discourse in AI ethics, law, and philosophy, inspiring a generation of researchers to consider the ethical boundaries of technology. McNally’s foresight and rigorous analysis have made him a key figure in the field, with his paper remaining a touchstone for discussions on the rights of robots and the future of human-machine relations.