
Robophilosophy
Philosophy of, for, and by Social Robotics
MIT Press
Will be published approx. on 13. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-0-262-04498-1 (ISBN)
Description
A comprehensive introduction to robophilosophy, the new field that explores the deep and far-reaching implications of social robotics.
Robophilosophy is the philosophical engagement with the phenomena and problems that arise with “social robots”: robots developed for use everywhere in society, at work, in public spaces, or at home. This new area of research is applied philosophy undertaken in close contact with, or even as part of, empirical research in the multidisciplinary areas of human–robot interaction studies and social robotics. It includes, but goes beyond, ethical considerations, offering new research in social ontology, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and more.
The book explores the wide-ranging questions we currently have about the new class of artificial social agents generated by robotics technology. Written by researchers from philosophy, psychology, and the technical sciences, the book shows how philosophical knowledge can help us to navigate the unprecedented sociocultural risks arising from this technology.
Robophilosophy is the philosophical engagement with the phenomena and problems that arise with “social robots”: robots developed for use everywhere in society, at work, in public spaces, or at home. This new area of research is applied philosophy undertaken in close contact with, or even as part of, empirical research in the multidisciplinary areas of human–robot interaction studies and social robotics. It includes, but goes beyond, ethical considerations, offering new research in social ontology, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and more.
The book explores the wide-ranging questions we currently have about the new class of artificial social agents generated by robotics technology. Written by researchers from philosophy, psychology, and the technical sciences, the book shows how philosophical knowledge can help us to navigate the unprecedented sociocultural risks arising from this technology.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge (Massachusetts)
United States
Publishing group
MIT Press Ltd
Illustrations
13 BLACK AND WHITE ILLUS.
Dimensions
Height: 227 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
600 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-262-04498-1 (9780262044981)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2026
MIT Press
€137.99
Available for download
Persons
edited by Johanna Seibt, Raul Hakli, and Marco Nørskov
Content
Introduction
Chapter 1: What is Robophilosophy?
Johanna Seibt and Raul Hakli
Part 1: Philosophy of Social Robotics
Chapter 2: The Machine Question: Rethinking Moral Philosophy in the Face of Others
David J. Gunkel
Chapter 3: The Automation of the Social: What Robots Can Teach Us about the Social
Mark Coeckelbergh
Chapter 4: Who is Afraid of Nudging by Robots?
Raffaele Rodogno
Chapter 5: Robots, Empowerment and Equity
Illah Reza Nourbakhsh
Part 2: Philosophy for Social Robotics
Chapter 6: Taking a Social Stance towards Robots
Raul Hakli
Chapter 7: OASIS: A Human-Centered Descriptive Framework for Social Interactions with Robots
Johanna Seibt, Christina Vestergaard, and Malene Damholdt Flensborg
Chapter 8: Robot Sociality?
Mark H. Bickhard
Chapter 9: Dispersed Robots and Intelligent Environments: A Philosophical Perspective
Jens Christian Bjerring and Jacob Busch
Chapter 10: Automated Ethical Practical Reasoning: The Problem of Artificial Phronesis
John P. Sullins
Part 3: Philosophy by Social Robotics
Chapter 11: Ethical Common Sense for Robots Benjamin Kuipers
Chapter 12: Robotics as a new science of human beings
Domenico Parisi and Stefano Nolfi
Chapter 13: What Would Poe Say About T
Chapter 1: What is Robophilosophy?
Johanna Seibt and Raul Hakli
Part 1: Philosophy of Social Robotics
Chapter 2: The Machine Question: Rethinking Moral Philosophy in the Face of Others
David J. Gunkel
Chapter 3: The Automation of the Social: What Robots Can Teach Us about the Social
Mark Coeckelbergh
Chapter 4: Who is Afraid of Nudging by Robots?
Raffaele Rodogno
Chapter 5: Robots, Empowerment and Equity
Illah Reza Nourbakhsh
Part 2: Philosophy for Social Robotics
Chapter 6: Taking a Social Stance towards Robots
Raul Hakli
Chapter 7: OASIS: A Human-Centered Descriptive Framework for Social Interactions with Robots
Johanna Seibt, Christina Vestergaard, and Malene Damholdt Flensborg
Chapter 8: Robot Sociality?
Mark H. Bickhard
Chapter 9: Dispersed Robots and Intelligent Environments: A Philosophical Perspective
Jens Christian Bjerring and Jacob Busch
Chapter 10: Automated Ethical Practical Reasoning: The Problem of Artificial Phronesis
John P. Sullins
Part 3: Philosophy by Social Robotics
Chapter 11: Ethical Common Sense for Robots Benjamin Kuipers
Chapter 12: Robotics as a new science of human beings
Domenico Parisi and Stefano Nolfi
Chapter 13: What Would Poe Say About T