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Is biorobotics science? Some theoretical reflections

Tamborini, Marco ; Datteri, Edoardo (2022)
Is biorobotics science? Some theoretical reflections.
In: Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2022, 18 (1)
doi: 10.26083/tuprints-00022943
Article, Secondary publication, Publisher's Version

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Item Type: Article
Type of entry: Secondary publication
Title: Is biorobotics science? Some theoretical reflections
Language: English
Date: 2 December 2022
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Year of primary publication: 2022
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Journal or Publication Title: Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
Volume of the journal: 18
Issue Number: 1
Collation: 10 Seiten
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00022943
Corresponding Links:
Origin: Secondary publication DeepGreen
Abstract:

In this paper, we ask one fairly simple question: to what extent can biorobotics be sensibly qualified as science? The answer clearly depends on what ‘science’ means and whether what is actually done in biorobotics corresponds to this meaning. To respond to this question, we will deploy the distinction between science and so-called technoscience, and isolate different kinds of objects of inquiry in biorobotics research. Capitalising on the distinction between ‘proximal’ and ‘distal’ biorobotic hypotheses, we will argue that technoscientific biorobotic studies address proximal hypotheses, whilst scientific biorobotic studies address distal hypotheses. As a result, we argue that bioroboticians can be both considered as scientists and technoscientists and that this is one of the main payoffs of biorobotics. Indeed, technoscientists play an extremely important role in 21st-century culture and in the current critical production of knowledge. Today’s world is increasingly technological, or rather, it is a bio-hybrid system in which the biological and the technological are mixed. Therefore, studying the behaviour of robotic systems and the phenomena of animal-robot interaction means analysing, understanding, and shaping our world. Indeed, in the conclusion of the paper, we broadly reflect on the philosophical and disciplinary payoff of seeing biorobotics as a science and/or technoscience for the increasingly bio-hybrid and technical world of the 21st century.

Uncontrolled Keywords: philosophy of science and technology, history of science and technology, biorobotics, biomimetics, bio-hybrid world, technoscience
Status: Publisher's Version
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-229435
Classification DDC: 100 Philosophy and psychology > 100 Philosophy
500 Science and mathematics > 570 Life sciences, biology
600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 600 Technology
600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 620 Engineering and machine engineering
Divisions: 02 Department of History and Social Science > Institute of Philosophy
Date Deposited: 02 Dec 2022 13:03
Last Modified: 14 Nov 2023 19:05
SWORD Depositor: Deep Green
URI: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/id/eprint/22943
PPN: 502479124
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