Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

Abstract

The United States, and the world at large, is in the midst of a family law revolution that will fundamentally change our very conception of family. Ethical challenges to age-old ideas have prompted people to ask foundational questions, such as how and why our most important personal relationships evolved. In a world where same-sex marriage has been legalized, it is only natural to wonder who marriage may include in the future. This essay explores the question of whether a human and a robot could ever legally marry in the United States. Through a thought experiment, it examines the legal and conceptual challenges of extending marriage rights to non-human entities. It first considers whether robots could be recognized as legal persons under U.S. marriage laws. The discussion then turns to the possibility of robots engaging in loving relationships, followed by an analysis of three critical legal requirements for marriage, consent, understanding, and decision-making capacity, and whether robots could fulfill them.

Source Publication

Journal of Law and Social Deviance

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Included in

Family Law Commons

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