Sex with Robots? The Ethics [new The Good Life column]

The opening of my latest column at EveryJoe:

“A new generation of sex robots is upon us, and the joking has begun.

I don’t need one, says a wife, since my husband is already robotic in bed. Ha ha.

Sure, a husband replies, but you should see my wife in inaction. (No thanks, I think to myself.)

“The next generation of sex robots promises to overcome the weaknesses of current sex dolls — that is, that the dolls do not simulate well the physical sensations of sex and that they cannot simulate the psychological features of sex. Newly-engineered materials and robotics have made the physical experiences closer to the real thing, and artificial intelligence has enabled the robots to respond verbally and non-verbally more realistically. Perhaps robots will soon be able to pass sex-and-romance Turing Tests.

“So what are the big fears? There have been knee-jerk calls for banning sex robots, but let’s set aside the politics and focus on the ethics: Is sex with robots a good thing or a bad thing? …” [Read more here.]

the-good-life-sex-robot

Previous column in The Good Life series: Uber, Cuba, and Freedoms Small and Large.

3 thoughts on “Sex with Robots? The Ethics [new The Good Life column]”

  1. A fascinating exploration. Brings to mind a devilishly wonderful scene from ‘Klute’ with Jane Fonda playing a call girl. She servicing a middle-aged guy on top of her, moaning loudly as he pounds away. Then, for a fraction of a second, she flicks her wrist to check her watch.

    There’s no substitute for the real thing but it doesn’t mean substitutes don’t have their place.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *