More Than Machines?
The Attribution of (In)Animacy to Robot Technology
Abstract
We know that robots are just machines. Why then do we often talk about them as if they were alive? Laura Voss explores this fascinating phenomenon, providing a rich insight into practices of animacy (and inanimacy) attribution to robot technology: from science-fiction to robotics R&D, from science communication to media discourse, and from the theoretical perspectives of STS to the cognitive sciences. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, and backed by a wealth of empirical material, Voss shows how scientists, engineers, journalists - and everyone else - can face the challenge of robot technology appearing »a little bit alive« with a reflexive and yet pragmatic stance.
Keywords
Robot; Artificial Intelligence; Animacy; Anthropomorphism; Agency; Technology; Society; Science; Sociology of Technology; Sociology of Culture; Sociology of Work and Industry; SociologyDOI
10.14361/9783839455609ISBN
9783839455609, 9783837655605, 9783839455609Publisher
transcript VerlagPublisher website
https://www.transcript-verlag.de/Publication date and place
Bielefeld, 2021Imprint
transcript VerlagSeries
Science Studies,Classification
Impact of science and technology on society
Cultural studies
Sociology: work and labour