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Robots, Ethics, and Intimacy: The Need for Scientific Research

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Book cover On the Cognitive, Ethical, and Scientific Dimensions of Artificial Intelligence

Part of the book series: Philosophical Studies Series ((PSSP,volume 134))

Abstract

Intimate relationships between robots and human beings may begin to form in the near future. Market forces, customer demand, and other factors may drive the creation of various forms of robots to which humans may form strong emotional attachments. Yet prior to the technology becoming fully actualized, numerous ethical, legal, and social issues must be addressed. This could be accomplished in part by establishing a rigorous scientific research agenda in the realm of intimate robotics, the aim of which would be to explore what effects the technology may have on users and on society more generally. Our goal is not to resolve whether the development of intimate robots is ethically appropriate. Rather, we contend that if such robots are going to be designed, then an obligation emerges to prevent harm that the technology could cause.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Refer to http://loveandsexwithrobots.org/. Accessed 14 Sept 2015.

  2. 2.

    Don Norman, personal communication with one of the co-authors.

  3. 3.

    Refer to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/. Accessed 21 Sept 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Ethics and Technology, School of Public Policy, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jason Borenstein & Ronald Arkin

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  1. Jason Borenstein
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  2. Ronald Arkin
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Correspondence to Jason Borenstein .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanities, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA

    Don Berkich

  2. Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    Matteo Vincenzo d'Alfonso

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Borenstein, J., Arkin, R. (2019). Robots, Ethics, and Intimacy: The Need for Scientific Research. In: Berkich, D., d'Alfonso, M. (eds) On the Cognitive, Ethical, and Scientific Dimensions of Artificial Intelligence. Philosophical Studies Series, vol 134. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01800-9_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01800-9_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-01799-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-01800-9

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