tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post3380850054905897299..comments2024-03-28T05:47:54.177+00:00Comments on Philosophical Disquisitions: The Campaign Against Sex Robots: A Critical AnalysisJohn Danaherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06761686258507859309noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-40620009372231015712023-10-07T22:41:06.897+01:002023-10-07T22:41:06.897+01:00Nick S. previously addressed this topic here:
htt...Nick S. previously addressed this topic here:<br /><br />http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2014/12/should-we-criminalise-robotic-rape-and-robotic-child-sexual-abuse-maybe/<br /><br />Nikolas Schaffer says:<br />December 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm<br />Haven’t read the paper, just this article, but there seems to be an important question entirely overlooked. At the moment, it is perfectly legal for two or more consenting adult partners to undertake sexual intercourse as an act of simulated rape or simulated child abuse. Why should it be legal for couples (or entire dungeons of consenting adults) to explore such fantasies, but not legal for a lone masturbator, playing with a sex toy? It doesn’t seem to make an awful lot of sense, unless you’re proposing that consenting adult partners should also be forbidden from engaging in role-playing of this kind.<br /><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />It's not illegal for adults to have consensual sex with other adults who look like children (and who are presumably even capable of dressing and acting like children in the bedroom if asked to do so by their sexual partners), such as this woman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgqZiGH5Jps Nor is it illegal for adults to have consensual sex with other adults that resembles rape (rape fantasy roleplaying). Therefore, unless you will actually argue in favor of criminalizing these things as well, it seems irrational, as Nick S. says, to criminalize doing these exact same things with sex dolls and/or sex robots.Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13751883906702730866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-59768946457813595002023-10-07T22:35:51.057+01:002023-10-07T22:35:51.057+01:00"Third, if the evidence in relation to sex ro..."Third, if the evidence in relation to sex robot usage does end up being ambiguous, then I suspect the best way to argue against the development of sex robots is to focus on the symbolic meaning that attaches to their use. Richardson doesn’t seem to make this argument (though there are hints). I explored it in my paper on robotic rape and robotic child sexual abuse, and others have explored it in relation to video games and fiction. The idea would be that a person who derives pleasure from having sex with a robot displays a disturbing moral insensitivity to the symbolic meaning of their act, and this may reflect negatively on their moral character. I suggested that this might be true for people who derive sexual pleasure from robots that are shaped like children or that cater to rape fantasies. The problem here is not to do with the possible downstream, real-world consequences of this insensitivity. The problem has to do with the act itself. In other words, the argument is about the intrinsic properties of the act; not its extrinsic, consequential properties. This is a better argument because it doesn’t force one to speculate about the likely effects of a technology on future behaviour. But this argument is quite limited. I think it would, at best, apply to a limited subset of sex robot usages, and probably would not warrant a ban or, indeed, campaign against any and all sex robots."<br /><br />Frankly, I'm not really comfortable with this type of logic. After all, one can say that engaging in rape fantasy roleplaying and/or realistic sexual ageplay with another consenting adult likewise says something bad about one's moral character because it shows insensitivity towards rape victims and/or child sexual abuse victims, but is that actually a sufficient reason for criminalizing these things, especially considering that these things are a private matter between two (or more) willing adults in their bedroom?<br /><br />Likewise, one can say that engaging in adultery without the consent of one's spouse (distinguished from polyamorous relationships/marriages that are done with the mutual consent of all of the parties) says something bad about one's moral character because it shows insensitivity towards the relationship that one has with one's spouse, but is that actually a sufficient reason to criminalize this kind of adultery? This kind of adultery might indeed be a moral failing, but this doesn't necessarily mean that the criminal law should be utilized to punish people for engaging in this moral failing.<br /><br />It's also worth noting that a healthy sex life is often vital for one's quality of life. To the extent that engaging in rape fantasy roleplaying or realistic sexual ageplay, whether with other consenting adults or with sex dolls and/or sex robots, is necessary for one to have a healthy sex life (as an alternative to, say, lifelong castration and celibacy), it indeed seems highly desirable from a harm reduction perspective to allow these things considering that these things don't actually harm anyone else.Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13751883906702730866noreply@blogger.com