Autonomous Robotics in Medicine: Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives
Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy and History
Guest editors:
Francesco Bianchini – University of Bologna – francesco.bianchini@unibo.it
Martina Bacaro – University of Bologna – martina.bacaro2@unibo.it
Overview:
Autonomous robotics is increasingly being integrated into medicine and healthcare, from rehabilitation and patient assistance to psychiatry and neurodegenerative disease care. While much attention has been given to technical advancements, the epistemological, ethical, and philosophical implications of these developments remain underexplored. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives, this special issue of Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History will contribute to a deeper understanding of the implications of autonomous robotics in medicine and its impact on the future of healthcare.
Possible areas of inquiry include how the integration of autonomous robots in clinical practice might be reshaping traditional notions of medical expertise and decision-making, as well as the epistemic, ethical, and social consequences that may arise from delegating aspects of patient care to robotic systems. Contributions could explore how autonomous robots in medical and healthcare contexts challenge existing models of human-robot collaboration and consider which conceptual frameworks might help to better understand their role. Moreover, this issue seeks to encourage a critical assessment of the limitations of current robotic systems in medicine and to reflect on how their promises and risks can be evaluated from an ethical and philosophical perspective.
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“Reinventare la Scienza: Criticità e Nuovi Paradigmi nella Produzione della Conoscenza Scientifica”
Special issue to appear in The Future of Science and Ethics
Deadline: 30 giugno 2025
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Function and Dysfunction: Revising, Expanding, and Questioning Two Core Concepts in the Philosophy of the Life Sciences
Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History.
Guest editors:
M. Cristina Amoretti – University of Genova – cristina.amoretti@unige.it
Claudio Davini – University of Bologna – claudio.davini2@unibo.it
Rebecca/Riccardo Cuciniello – University of Pavia – riccardo.cuciniello01@universitadipavia.it
Overview:
We invite researchers working in the philosophy of the life sciences, broadly construed, to submit abstracts for an upcoming special issue of Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History, focusing on the concepts of function and dysfunction. From medicine and psychiatry to evolutionary biology and cognitive science, the notions of function and dysfunction play a crucial role in scientific explanation. However, these concepts remain theoretically contested, methodologically complex, and normatively loaded. Traditional approaches – such as aetiological, causal-role, fitness-based, and goal-contribution accounts – have provided powerful frameworks, yet contemporary scientific and philosophical inquiry raises pressing questions that challenge their adequacy.
How should we define function and dysfunction in light of emerging fields such as synthetic biology, systems medicine, and neuroscience? Do contemporary technological and conceptual advances necessitate new functional frameworks (e.g. generalised selected-effects, biological autonomy)? How do different scientific disciplines negotiate the boundary between function and dysfunction, and what are the epistemic, ontological, and normative implications of these negotiations?
This special issue aims to rethink and critically assess these foundational concepts, fostering dialogue between philosophy, the life sciences, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Early career scholars are especially encouraged to submit!
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Italian Network for Philosophy of Health and Disease 