Falling in love with robots a phenomenological study of experiencing technological alterities

摘要

Is it possible for human beings to establish romantic relationships with robots? What kind of otherness,or alterity, will be construed in the process of falling inlove with a robot? Can a robotic companion mean morethan being a tool for house-work, a caretaker, an aid of selfgratifcation, or a sex-doll? Phenomenological analysis oflove experience suggests that romantic feelings necessarily include experiencing the alterity of the partner as an affective subjectivity that freely, willingly, and passionatelycommits to its partner. The romantic commitment is expected to stem from the sentient inner selves of the lovers,which is one of the features that robots are lacking. Thusthe artifcial alterity might disengage our romantic aspirations, and, as argued by many, will make them morally inferior to intraspecies love a?airs. The current analysis willrestrain from ethical considerations, however, and will focus on whether robots can in principle elicit human feelings of love.