Aims and scope

Minds & Machines publishes on the relation between human beings and technologies. This is a philosophy journal that aims to provide a forum to publish innovative, well-reasoned, scientifically grounded articles that provide conceptual analyses on topics at the intersection between cognitive philosophy, logic, epistemology, ethics and computer and data science. The journal welcomes submissions that explore philosophical inquiries concerning topics like the role of digital technologies in understanding cognitive processes, the epistemic status of disciplines like computer science and data science, the moral status of artificial intelligence agents, and the ethical and social implications of the design, development and use of digital (e.g. robotics) in our societies in different domains, ranging from healthcare to defence.

Editorial Focus:

•              Artificial Intelligence and Epistemology;
•              Cognitive Philosophy;
•              Computational Approaches to Philosophical Issues;
•              Digital Ethics;
•              Epistemic Aspects of Computer Science and Data Science;
•              Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence;
•              Knowledge and Its Representation;
•              Philosophy of Computer Science and Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence Simulation and Modelling.

The journal publishes:
•              Research and review articles;
•              Topical collections of articles addressing specific topics;
•              Critical responses to previously published pieces;
•              Commentaries (up to 4000, excluding references).

All submissions will be subject to double-blind, peer-review.

Special Issue on Virtue, AI and the Justice System
Submission Date: 2025-12-31

The aim of this special issue is to analyse, evaluate, and enrich the debate on the use of AI in the justice system by courts, the legal profession, and public agencies from the perspective of virtue jurisprudence. Virtue jurisprudence is a field of legal scholarship that connects the concept of virtue to law. It emphasises the importance of character—instead of right action or good consequences—in thinking about law and its application. So far, virtue jurisprudential approaches have been developed for legislation, adjudication, different substantive areas of law, legal reasoning, and professional legal ethics. This issue expands the scope of virtue jurisprudence by addressing fundamental legal-philosophical questions as well as practically pressing questions prompted by the application of AI in the legal domain. Ultimately, this thematic issue aims to contribute to fleshing out a virtue theoretic approach to the field of AI and law and lead to insights relevant to current and future challenges faced in practice regarding how to regulate and accommodate the use of AI in the justice sector.