Three Responses to Anthropomorphism in Social Robotics

Author(s)

Mark Coeckelbergh

Abstract

Both designers and users of social robots tend to anthropomorphize robots. Focusing on the question how to conceptualize the relation between robots and humans, this paper first outlines two opposite philosophical views regarding this relation, which are connected to various normative responses to anthropomorphism and anthropomorphization. Then it argues for a third view: navigating between what it calls "naive instrumentalism" and "uncritical posthumanism", it develops a hermeneutic, relational, and critical approach. Paradoxically, by unpacking the human dimension of robotics in its use and development, this view enables a critical discussion of anthropomorphizing robots. At the same time, and again somewhat paradoxically, it avoids a naive instrumentalist position by taking robots' role as an instrument in a larger con-technology seriously. As such, the third view questions the dualism assumed in the debate. The paper then explores what this means for the field of social robotics and the education of computer scientists and engineers. It proposes a reform based on a relational understanding of the field itself and offers suggestions for the role of users-citizens.

Organisation(s)

Department of Philosophy

Journal

International journal of social robotics

Volume

14

Pages

2049-2061

No. of pages

13

ISSN

1875-4791

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00770-0

Publication date

2021

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

603122 Philosophy of technology

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Computer Science

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/0a5eba10-14e8-43a9-86af-fd064f841920