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Welcome to “Prosthetic Gods,” the podcast where bioethicist James Hughes and philosopher Nir Eisikovits engage in spirited debates on the ethics and politics of emerging technologies. Hughes, a pro-technology transhumanist, and Eisikovits, with his Luddite stance, explore topics from brain-computer interfaces to artificial intelligence. Tune in and explore the promise and perils of technological advancements with us!
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Episode 38 - Humanoid Robots
This week on Prosthetic Gods, Nir and J talk about the distinctive ethical issues raised by the humanoid robots coming to homes and workplaces. Their presence and human-like form elicit unique responses compared to those of non-embodied AI. The appearance of a robot can manipulate human empathy and consent; robotic caregiving could be used as a pretext to dismantle the social safety net, and robot lovers could deepen loneliness.
Show Notes:
“Can AI Robots Help Older Adults Live in Their Homes Longer?” By Lee Pruitt
“China Could Dominate the Physical AI Future” by Eric Schmidt and Selina Xu
“Humanoid Robots to Reach Nearly US$30 Billion by 2036” by Shihao Fu
Humans (2015-2018, 3 seasons)
Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009, 5 seasons)
As always, listeners can contact us at prostheticgods@gmail.com with questions, comments, and suggestions for future topics.
Credits:
Hosted by James Hughes and Nir Eisikovits
Music & Production by Jake Burley
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