How easily do we anthropomorphise robots? Do we see them as moral agents or, even, moral patients? Can we dehumanise them? These are some of the questions addressed in this episode with my guests, Dennis Küster and Aleksandra Świderska. Dennis is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bremen. Aleksandra is a senior researcher at the University of Warsaw. They have worked together on a number of studies about how humans perceive and respond to robots. We discuss several of their joint studies in this episode.
You can download the episode here or listen below. You can also subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and other podcasting services (the RSS feed is here).
Relevant Links
- Dennis's webpage
- Aleksandra's webpage
- 'I saw it on YouTube! How online videos shape perceptions of mind, morality, and fears about robots' by Dennis, Aleksandra and David Gunkel
- 'Robots as malevolent moral agents: Harmful behavior results in dehumanization, not anthropomorphism' by Aleksandra and Dennis
- 'Seeing the mind of robots: Harm augments mind perception but benevolent intentions reduce dehumanisation of artificial entities in visual vignettes' by Dennis and Aleksandra
Meme of the moment: "...robots? Do we see them as moral agents or, even, moral patients?....." Nature (i)s all there (i)s! Go googling: naturesalltheres
ReplyDeleteIdeas abound on this topic. My circle of associates tends towards thinking that anthropomorphism is not useful. AI, so far, is still circuitry, programmed to 'think' as it is told to think. Morality, in its human sense, has no role in this. I wonder where, and how, anyone might conclude otherwise. So call me 'dinosaur'. Gronk!
ReplyDelete