CEFISES Seminar: Marc Behrendt, “A Glimpse into the Future of Intimacy: Will it be Robotic or Socially Problematic?”

Series: Life and Cognition

Abstract: In recent years, technological advances in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, have emboldened the hopes of some transhumanists. As in the ancient Greek tale of Pygmalion who fell in love with the statue he crafted with his own hands, they dream of creating an artificial companion made of wires, steel and silicone. This device, also known as a sex robot, will be physically desirable and might even fulfill the want of intimacy of some isolated individuals. Thus, technology could mitigate the very modern phenomenon of loneliness. Moreover, robots, it is claimed, might help people dealing with mental illness, and even a whole array of reprehensible or socially problematic sexual behaviours. Some bio-conservationists on the other hand, see the robot in general, and intimate robot companions in particular, in a rather negative light: they will modify the way we relate to each other as human beings or even worse, become a serious threat to the survival of the human race. My presentation will try to address, in very broad terms, some of these ethical and social aspects of the emerging debate surrounding robots as intimate companions. Finally, I also wish to submit to the critical analysis of my peers, some of my own ideas and research, in relation to the aforementioned subject.

This session will take place online, via Teams. Please contact the event organizer, Maxence Gaillard <maxence.gaillard@uclouvain.be> for the link.