A new model of motivational behavior, described as a ten-level metaperspectival hierarchy of ethical terms, serves as the foundation for an ethical simulation of artificial intelligence. This AI system is organized as a tandem, nested expert system, composed of a primary affective language analyzer, overseen by a master control unit-expert system (coordinating the motivational interchanges over real time). The systematic organization of the ethical hierarchy allows for extreme efficiency in the programming of the respective knowledge bases, employing the principles of inheritance for modeling the more abstract levels of the hierarchy: allowing a precise determination of the motivational level at issue during a given verbal interchange (defined as the passive-monitoring mode). An optional active monitoring mode permits the posing of simple yes-or-no questions, allowing for clarification of ambiguous language input. This basic motivational determination, in turn, serves as the basis for the synthesis of a response repertoire tailored to the computer, simulating a sense of motivation in a given verbal interaction (defined as the true AI simulation mode). The AI mode operates in concert with the passive monitoring mode, and in potential alternation with the active monitoring mode.