ROBOTICS ACCEPTANCE IN AFRICAN SOCIETIES: CULTURAL REFLECTIONS ON AFRICAN HUMANITY, AND IDENTITY

Abstract

Technological coexistence with machines presents a somewhat problematic narrative. Thus, this paper investigates the philosophical dimensions of accepting robotics in African societies, by looking at how African cultural beliefs and worldviews inform perspectives, interpretations and the dynamics of human nature. Drawing on African philosophical traditions, the paper interrogates how human-robotics coexistence is interpreted and viewed within the African frameworks that prioritize communal values, human dignity, and spiritual beliefs. Adopting analytic method, the paper explores cultural views on technological integration that raise profound ethical and existential questions. This paper further reveals a uniquely African perspective on the integration of robotics by questioning how robotics may impact traditional understandings of identity and purpose and how African philosophies can balance technological progress with cultural continuity and what ethical considerations arise from the perceived risks of dehumanization. In the end, this paper concludes that, for robotics to be integrated into African cultural realities, developers and policymakers must account for certain philosophical concerns that will ensure that robotics complements rather than replaces human roles, and also introduce technology that aligns with African values, supports communal well- being, and preserves human dignity.