When Robots Meet the Humanities: Multiple Dimensions of Robotic Humanities
Time: May 30, 2025
Venue: Room 207, New Teaching Building, Gulou Campus, Nanjing University
Speaker: Cheng Lin, Professor at the Institute of Foreign Literature and Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Ph.D. from Freie Universität Berlin.
Moderator: Wu Weiyi, Associate Professor at the School of Arts, Nanjing University.
Content Summary:
Drawing on philosophical reflections, literary works, and cinematic examples related to robots, this lecture explores the multifaceted dimensions of robotic humanities—an emerging interdisciplinary field at the intersection of culture, cross-cultural studies, and technology. Within the evolving landscape of contemporary technological civilization, robots occupy a pivotal position due to their dual nature as both technological artifacts and cultural symbols. From conceptual frameworks to ethical considerations, and from technical design to real-world applications, robotics has long been profoundly shaped by human imagination and science fiction narratives. Out of this dynamic interplay arises the field of “robotic humanities,” which encompasses critical themes such as linguistic concepts, historical contexts and the spirit of the times, theoretical inquiry, cultural and cross-cultural perspectives, gender and emotion, and the ethics of technology.
