Psychologist to Speak on the Ethical Challenges of a Robotic Future
Distinguished psychologist Peter H. Kahn Jr. will discuss the ethical implications of forming social and moral relationships with robots during free lectures next month at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Indiana University Bloomington.
The IU School of Informatics will present a free public lecture by Kahn, associate professor of psychology at the University of Washington, on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, at IUPUI. The lecture, "Social and Moral Relationships with Personified Robots," will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 0130 of the Ruth Lilly Auditorium at University Library, 755 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis.
Kahn will also speak from 3 to 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2, 2007, in Room 107 of the Informatics Building on the IU Bloomington campus.
Both lectures are open to the public.
Professor Kahn's studies with two sophisticated robots, known as Robovie and Aibo, show that people of all ages can form social and moral relationships with robots. So, what are the ethical implications? This sort of question is no longer just capturing the imagination of science fiction writers and their fans. With the retirement of the baby boomers, and robots already helping to care for the elderly in Japan, it's an issue society is starting to face.
"So how should we design interactive robots," Kahn asks, "and introduce them into society to enhance our social and moral lives?"
Kahn and Karl F. MacDorman, associate professor at IU School of Informatics at IUPUI, are editing a special issue of Interaction Studies, due for publication this month. In this issue of the robotics and social behavior journal, a dozen acclaimed scholars propose benchmarks for measuring how often people treat robots like humans. Kahn proposes that if a robot can demand payback, or be held accountable for its deeds, it would be judged as more human.
Sherry Turkle, professor of social studies of science and technology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has pointed out that perhaps an even more important benchmark is the long-term impact of robot relationships on the individual and on society. Although there are many benefits to building humanlike robots, there are also risks in creating devices that elicit feelings of love, nurturance, and parental protection.
"These robots may make us feel good but may not be good for us," Turkle explains.
Professor MacDorman, who is hosting the lectures, anticipates lively discussion on these issues following Kahn's talks.
More information about MacDorman's android research is available at http://informatics.iupui.edu/people/kmacdorm.
|
