Maciej Musiał, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland

This paper assumes that automation will lead to massive technological unemployment and that unconditional basic income will be implemented to avoid the negative economic consequences. On the basis of this assumption, the paper examines some of the discussions about possible reformulations of our concepts concerning the meaning of life and human flourishing, particularly in reference to the status of intimate relationships. It demonstrates that not only do our attitudes towards the future of intimate relationships remain unclear – especially when it comes to the involvement of social robots – but even our evaluations of contemporary intimacy turn out to be vague and paradoxical.

Therefore, the presentation points out to the blinds spots of the discussion and reveals contexts that remain in the dark rather than delivers any final answers.