On the Possibility of Emotional Robots

Authors

  • Godwin Darmanin Sofia University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7213/1980-5934.31.054.DS08

Keywords:

affective computing, artificial intelligence, emotions, emotional intelligence, robot technology.

Abstract

In this article, I examine whether the possibility exists that in the foreseeable future, robot technology will permit the development of emotional robots. As the title suggests, the content is of a technological as well as of a philosophical nature. As a matter of fact, my aim in writing this paper was that of bridging two distinctive fields in a world where humanity has become accustomed to technological innovations while overlooking any consequential complications arising from such inventions. To this end, I review and commentate on what Anders Sandberg, Paul Thagard, Nikhil Churamani and other thinkers have contributed on the subject matter. The literature review indicates that in the short to the medium term, scientists will only design and engineers will only build robots that will be able to only learn, be trained, or under the most optimistic conditions only simulate human emotions. However, in the long term the possibility exists for technology to advance to such a state so as to permit an entire human brain to be emulated in a robot via a concept named ‘mind uploading’. If one day that becomes a reality, that will be the point where humanity will possibly come closest to creating robots with emotions.

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Author Biography

Godwin Darmanin, Sofia University

My name is Godwin Darmanin and I hold an MA and a PhD in Philosophy from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Bulgaria.  I also hold bachelor’s degrees in Computing and in Sociology from Goldsmiths (University of London) and from LSE (University of London) respectively.

 

Sofia University has been consistently ranked as the top university in Bulgaria according to national and international rankings and further information can be obtained from the official website (https://www.uni-sofia.bg/index.php/eng) and from the Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_University).

 

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Published

2019-12-09

How to Cite

Darmanin, G. (2019). On the Possibility of Emotional Robots. Revista De Filosofia Aurora, 31(54). https://doi.org/10.7213/1980-5934.31.054.DS08