Can Machine Cure Man’s Loneliness?

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F49777513%3A23330%2F25%3A43977035" target="_blank" >RIV/49777513:23330/25:43977035 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Can Machine Cure Man’s Loneliness?

Original language description

In contemporary society, we are witnessing a marked decline in marriage rates, accompanied by a growing number of individuals living without romantic partners—commonly referred to as singles. This lifestyle is often associated with persistent stereotypes of loneliness and social inadequacy. In the late 1990s, the Involuntary Celibacy Project emerged as an online forum designed to provide support for people struggling to form intimate relationships. Over time, however, this community transformed into a predominantly male space and eventually gave rise to the incel (involuntary celibate) subculture as we know it today. The movement became increasingly radicalized, adopting overtly misogynistic narratives and, in some extreme cases, culminating in acts of terrorism.Drawing on Ulrich Beck’s theory that newly emerging risks can be transformed into market opportunities, this article investigates whether advanced technologies—such as sex robots and AI-powered virtual girlfriends—are being positioned as potential solutions to incel-related sexual frustration and social isolation. By engaging with recent empirical and philosophical literature, I examine whether these technological substitutes are genuinely capable of addressing the emotional and psychological needs that define the incel condition, or whether they merely offer an illusion of intimacy that may deepen underlying pathologies with potential implications for public safety.Through the framework of Jean Baudrillard’s concept of hyperreality—complemented by the critical insights of Shoshana Zuboff and Mark Fisher—I argue that sex robots do not resolve the incel crisis but instead risk intensifying it by reinforcing distorted perceptions of intimacy, gender, and power. In this light, I critically evaluate John Danaher’s more optimistic vision of romantic human–robot relationships, questioning the ethical and psychological sustainability of replacing mutual human vulnerability with simulated affection.Ultimately, this analysis aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the incel phenomenon while highlighting the broader societal and ethical risks associated with the technologization of intimacy in an age of growing relational disconnection.Event name Rethinking Tomorrow: Emerging Research for Social ChangeVenue University of Technology AucklandStart date December 1, 2025End date December 2, 2025

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60301 - Philosophy, History and Philosophy of science and technology

Project

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Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů