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Robot Pain
Resource type
Journal Article
Author/contributor
- Van Rysewyk, Simon (Author)
Title
Robot Pain
Abstract
Functionalism of robot pain claims that what is definitive of robot pain is functional role, defined as the causal relations pain has to noxious stimuli, behavior and other subjective states. Here, the author proposes that the only way to theorize role-functionalism of robot pain is in terms of type-identity theory. The author argues that what makes a state pain for a neuro-robot at a time is the functional role it has in the robot at the time, and this state is type identical to a specific circuit state. Support from an experimental study shows that if the neural network that controls a robot includes a specific 'emotion circuit', physical damage to the robot will cause the disposition to avoid movement, thereby enhancing fitness, compared to robots without the circuit. Thus, pain for a robot at a time is type identical to a specific circuit state.
Publication
International Journal of Synthetic Emotions
Volume
4
Issue
2
Pages
22-33
Date
2013-7-1
Language
ng
ISSN
1947-9093, 1947-9107
Short Title
Robot Pain
Accessed
3/17/25, 10:06 AM
Library Catalog
DOI.org (Crossref)
Citation
Van Rysewyk, S. (2013). Robot Pain. International Journal of Synthetic Emotions, 4(2), 22–33. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijse.2013070103
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