Philosophy of Religion Research

Exploring the Ethical Challenge of Emotionalized AI: A Philosophical Perspective on the Meaning of Life with a Focus on Emotional Relationships

Document Type : Original Research

Author

Assistant Professor, Institute for Science and Technology Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This article explores the ethical dilemma of developing emotionalized artificial intelligence (EAI) through the philosophical lens of meaning of life. It begins by analyzing foundational views from Thomas Nagel and Susan Wolf on absurdity and the role of emotional relationships—particularly love—in meaningful life. The paper then reviews key literature in AI ethics, with a focus on human-robot emotional interaction, and outlines a framework for evaluating EAI from an expanded perspective of technology ethics. The central argument asserts that emotional relationships, especially love, are among the core sources of human meaningfulness, and the integration of EAI into this domain risks undermining that source. Drawing on Verbeek’s expanded ethics of technology, the paper contends that EAI functions as a competitor to human affection, thereby restricting our access to genuine emotional engagement. After presenting and defending this argument against potential objections, the article concludes that emotionalized AI raises serious ethical concerns. Without addressing these concerns, its development cannot be considered ethically justified.

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Main Subjects

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Philosophy of Religion Research
Volume 23, Issue 2 - Serial Number 46
December 2025
Pages 43-60