Hybrid Ethical-Decision Reasoning (HEDR): A Universal Model of Ethical Decision-Making for Humans and Artificial Intelligence

Abstract:Hybrid Ethical-Decision Reasoning (HEDR) is a conceptual framework integrating philosophy, psychology, management theory, and AI ethics into a unified process of rational, moral, and reflective decision-making. Based on five foundational thinkers—Kahneman, Simon, Kidder, Mill, and Kant—HEDR translates their insights into a seven-step cycle connecting human cognition with ethical reasoning and machine logic. The model applies to both human and hybrid (human–AI) systems and is demonstrated through real-world dilemmas such as euthanasia, autonomous vehicles, resource imports from aggressor states, and same-sex adoption. Aligned with global frameworks including the EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles, UNESCO AI Ethics Recommendation, and NIST AI Risk Management Framework, HEDR serves as a bridge between human values and technological rationality. It proposes a practical path toward ethics-by-design and a new moral standard for responsible decision-making in the age of artificial intelligence. Context and relation to previous work:This article elaborates on and expands the conceptual foundations introduced in the white paper “Hybrid Ethical-Decision Reasoning (HEDR) Framework” (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17450308).While the original white paper outlined the theoretical model, this article presents its full academic structure, ethical reasoning cycle, and applied case studies demonstrating the model’s implementation in human, managerial, and AI contexts. Keywords:ethics; artificial intelligence; moral reasoning; philosophy; decision-making; AI governance; HEDR model; ethics-by-design