care-as-performance
The idea that caring can be understood as a set of behaviors or tasks that machines can perform, distinct from the emotional empathy traditionally associated with care.
2 chapters across 2 books
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (2011)Sherry Turkle
Chapter 6 explores the introduction and reception of sociable robots like Paro and My Real Baby in elder care, highlighting both enthusiasm for their therapeutic potential and concerns about their limitations and implications. The chapter discusses how robots are designed to provide companionship and care for the elderly amid demographic challenges, while also raising ethical questions about the replacement of human empathy and the nature of 'care' itself. Through ethnographic observations, the author reveals the complex emotional dynamics between seniors, caregivers, and robots, emphasizing the tension between technological solutions and human connection.
The Second Self (1984)Sherry Turkle
This chapter explores the introduction and reception of sociable robots like Paro and My Real Baby in elder care, highlighting their therapeutic roles and the complex emotional dynamics they evoke among seniors, caregivers, and family members. It critically examines the promise and limitations of robotic companions, contrasting the technological enthusiasm with concerns about dehumanization and the replacement of genuine human care. The chapter also situates the development of eldercare robots within demographic challenges, particularly Japan's aging population, and debates the meaning of 'care' when performed by machines.