Perhaps it was once the case that sex robots were nothing more than a far-off futuristic fantasy - whilst very few fully functioning sex robots currently exist, steps are certainly being made to bring them into the commercial sex trade in the near future.
Anthropomorphic sex robots are best described as the 21st century version of a sex doll. The sex doll first became available to purchase in 1968, and ever since then huge advancements in artificial technology has enabled sex dolls to be modified with artificial personalities, the capacity to learn, animatronics, fully functioning genitalia and customisable body parts. However are sex robots morally justifiable?
For
In terms of the positive ethical views surrounding sex robots, one of the main ethical stances is that sex robots could provide emotional support and sexual therapy for both the elderly and those who struggle socially. The Foundation for Responsible Robotics have looked into the potential uses for sex robots and have touted that sex robots could be useful in particular for the elderly; Dr Ian Pearson has mimicked these thoughts.
Sex robots have also been cited as being used for rapists or people who have sexual perversions, Dr David Levy, author of Love and Sex With Robots has stated previously that he could imagine a world where psychiatrists provide a sex robot to a client as a form of sexual therapy.
Aside from that is the moral justification that sex robots offer customers the ability to live out their wildest sexual fantasies, or in the words of Realbotix, the opportunity for people to "never be lonely again."
Against
Due to the contentious nature of the sex robot phenomenon, there has been much disapproval. Professor Kathleen Richardson is perhaps the most avid campaigners against sex robots. Kathleen Richardson, like many others, has adopted the perspective that sex robots are offensive to women because they draw of sexualised stereotypes that society has placed onto women.
Moreover there is the argument that whilst sex robots could prove to be a companion for some, they will only lead to greater alienation in society. Dr. Kate Darling, robot ethicist and researcher at the MIT Media Lab, has elaborated on this, stating that interacting, beating or raping a sex robot could "translate into our interactions with real women."
Dr Ian Pearson has also tapped into more far-fetched notions of people "being able to hack onto you having sex with a robot," in other worlds sex robot technology, as with all technology, has the capacity to be exploited by humans.
It is worth noting that there has been much ethical discussion surrounding the idea of child sex robots, Jerry Barnett has alluded to the idea that child sex robots could prevent real children from abuse however much ethical deliberation still needs to be had.
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