Do we need Asimov's Laws?
Ulrike Barthelmess, Ulrich Furbach
TL;DR
This essay explores historical attitudes towards robots, discusses psychological phenomena like the uncanny valley, compares Western and Asian perspectives, and ultimately addresses whether Asimov's Laws are necessary for robot ethics.
Contribution
It provides a historical and cultural analysis of robot perception and evaluates the relevance of Asimov's Laws in contemporary contexts.
Findings
Historical attitudes against robots from ancient times to the industrial revolution
Analysis of the uncanny valley phenomenon and its explanations
Comparison of Western and Asian perspectives on robots
Abstract
In this essay the stance on robots is discussed. The attitude against robots in history, starting in Ancient Greek culture until the industrial revolution is described. The uncanny valley and some possible explanations are given. Some differences in Western and Asian understanding of robots are listed and finally we answer the question raised with the title.
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Taxonomy
TopicsSocial Robot Interaction and HRI · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations