The role of machine learning generated health categories in epistemically (un)just healthcare practices

Project dates (estimated):

September 2024 - August 2027

Name of the PhD student:

Sasha Lee Smit

Supervisors:

Emily Postan – Edinburgh Law School

Gill Haddow – School of Social and Political Sciences

Project aims:

This project aims to explore how newly developed AI and machine learning (ML) tools may impact the epistemic climate that both healthcare users and professionals participate in. Through an analysis and assessment of the theoretical concept of epistemic injustice, Sasha seeks to identify how epistemic injustice may be linked to the implementation of ML generated health categories and how current conceptualisations of epistemic justice and injustice may need to be expanded upon for the purpose of understanding this link. Further, this project aims to identify ways to create and implement measures to combat these injustices without rejecting the benefits of ML in healthcare provision. 

Disciplines and subfields engaged:

  • Philosophical bioethics

  • Social and epistemic justice

  • Human-Computer Interaction

  • AI Ethics

Research Themes:

  • Emerging Technology and Human Identity

    • Al, Automation and Human Wisdom

    • Emerging Tech and Human Autonomy

  • Emerging Technology, Health, and Flourishing

    • Emerging Tech and Human Flourishing

  • Ethics and Politics of Data

    • Data Justice and Data Violence

PhD ResearchCTMF Adminphilosophical bioethics, social and epistemic justice, human-computer interaction, AI ethics