Ethica ex machina: issues in roboethics

Abstract

Is "roboethics" the "ethics of humans" or the "ethics of robots"? According to the Roboethics Roadmap (Gianmarco Veruggio), it is the human ethics of robot designers, manufacturers, and users. And ifroboethics roots deeply in society, artificial ethics (ethics of robots) might be put on the agenda some day. At the 1st International Symposium on Roboethics in San Remo, Ronald C. Arkin gave the presentation "Bombs, Bonding, and Bondage: Human-Robot Interaction and Related Ethical Issues" (2004). "Bondage" is the issue of enslavement and possible rebellion of robots. "Bombs" is the issue of military use of robots. And "bonding" is the issue of affective, emotional attachment of humans to robots. I contrast two extreme attitudes towards the issue of "bonding" and propose a middle ground. "Anthropomorphism" has two meanings. First, it means "human-shaped-ness." Second, it means "attribution of human characteristics or feelings to a nonhuman being (god, animal, or object)" (personification, empathy). Some say that Japanese (or East Asians) hold "animism," which makes it easy for them to treat robots like animated beings (to anthropomorphize robots); hence "Robot Kingdom Japan." Cosima Wagner criticizes such exaggeration and oversimplification as "invented tradition". I reinforce her argument with neuroscientific findings and argue that such "animism" is neither Shintoistic nor Buddhistic, but a universal tendency. Roboticists, especially Japanese roboticists emphasize that robotics is "anthropology." It is true that through the construction of humanoid robots we can better understand human beings (so-called "constructive approach"). But at the same time, we must not forget that robotic technology, like any other technology, changes our way of living and being--deeply: it can bring about our ontological transformation. In this sense, the governance of robotic technology is "governed governance." The interdisciplinary research area of technology assessment studies (TAS) will gain much importance. And we should always be ready to rethink the direction of the research and development of robotic technology, bearing the desirable future of human society in mind.