A review of Robophilosophy, edited by Johanna Seibt, Raul Hakli, and Marco Nørskov

Abstract In Robophilosophy , Seibt, Hakli, and Nørskov (eds.) offer a volume that ranges across the relatively new but growing field of applied philosophical research, addressing the sociocultural transformations anticipated with the rise of social robotics. This review situates the volume within broader debates about evidence-based technology governance. Particularly, it examines the editors’ diagnosis of a “triple gridlock” hampering research-based policymaking and their argument that humanities, particularly philosophical, expertise is essential for navigating what they call “the robotic moment” of human cultural history. Drawing on the volume’s contributions concerning moral status, simulation, and social practice, this review underscores the challenges policymakers face as social robots move from research laboratories into care facilities, schools, and public spaces. The volume does not offer a policy program, but is critical for those interested in understanding the conceptual terrain that social robot governance will have to navigate.