Writings

Academic Publications

Dissertation

Asaro, P. (2006). "On the Origins of the Synthetic Mind: Working Models, Mechanisms and Simulations." Submitted for completion of the doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Edited Journals

Altmann, J., P. Asaro, N. Sharkey, and R. Sparrow (eds.) (Forthcoming 2012). "Special Issue on Armed Military Robots," Ethics and Information Technology.

Asaro, P., and G. J. Klir (eds.) (2009). "Introduction: Special Issue on the Intellectual Legacy of W. Ross Ashby," International Journal of General Systems, 38 (2), 93-95.

Journal Articles

Asaro, P. (2011). "Remote-Control Crimes: Roboethics and Legal Jurisdictions of Tele-Agency," Special Issue on Roboethics, Gianmarco Veruggio, Mike Van der Loos, and Jorge Solis (eds.), IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, 18 (1), 68-71.

Asaro, P. (2009). "Modeling the Moral User: Designing Ethical Interfaces for Tele-Operation," IEEE Technology & Society, 28 (1), 20-24.

Asaro, P. (2009). "Information and Regulation in Robots, Perception and Consciousness: Ashby's Embodied Minds," International Journal of General Systems, 38 (2), 111-128.

Asaro, P. (2008). "Computer als Modelle des Geistes. Über Simulation und das Gehirn als Modell des Designs von Computern," Österreichische Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaften, Geschichte der Kybernetik, 19 (4), pp. 41-72. (Translated into German by Albert Müller).

Asaro, P. (2006). "What Should We Want from a Robot Ethic?" Special Issue on Ethics in Robotics, Karsten Weber, Daniela Cerquie and Jutta Weber (eds.), International Review of Information Ethics 6 (12), pp. 9-16.

Asaro, P. (2006). "Working Models and the Synthetic Method: Electronic Brains as Mediators Between Neurons and Behavior," Special Issue on Models and Simulations, Tarja Knuuttila, Erika Mattila and Martina Merz (eds.), Science Studies 19 (1), pp. 12-34.

Asaro, P. (2000). "Transforming Society by Transforming Technology: The Science and Politics of Participatory Design," Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, Special Issue on Critical Studies of Information Practice, 10 (4), pp. 257-290.

Book Contributions and Chapters

Asaro, P. (2011). "A Body to Kick, But Still No Soul to Damn: Legal Perspectives on Robotics," in Patrick Lin, Keith Abney, and George Bekey (eds.) Robot Ethics: The Ethical and Social Implications of Robotics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 169-186.

Asaro, P. (2011). "Computers as Models of the Mind: On Simulations, Brains and the Design of Early Computers," in Stefano Franchi and Francesco Bianchini (eds.) The Search for a Theory of Cognition: Early Mechanisms and New Ideas. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Rodopi, pp. 89-114.

Asaro, P. (2010). "Whatever Happened to Cybernetics?" in Günther Friesinger, Johannes Grenzfurthner, Thomas Ballhausen, and Verena Bauer (eds.) Geist in der Maschine. Medien, Prozesse und Räume der Kybernetik. Vienna, Austria: Verlag Turia & Kant, pp. 39-49.
Audio MP3

Asaro, P., and G. Dabringer (2010). "Military Robotics and Just War Theory," in Gerhard Dabringer (ed.) Ethica Themen: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Unmanned Systems, Interviews, Vienna, Austria: Austrian Ministry of National Defence and Sports, pp. 103-119.

Asaro, P. (2009). "What Should We Want from a Robot Ethic?," in Rafael Capurro and Michael Nagenborg (eds.) Ethics and Robotics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: IOS Press.

Asaro, P. (2009). "A.I. und Roboter mit Gefühlen - Kollective Fiktion in Wissenshaft und Film," in Günther Friesinger and Karin Harrasser (eds.) Public Fictions: Wie man Roboter und Menschen erfindet. Innsbruck, Austria: Studien Verlag/Skarabæus, pp. 78-88. (Translated into German by Evelyn Fürlinger).

Asaro, P. (2008). "From Mechanisms of Adaptation to Intelligence Amplifiers: The Philosophy of W. Ross Ashby," in Michael Wheeler, Philip Husbands and Owen Holland (eds.) The Mechanical Mind in History, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 149-184.
Pierre Collet's review of this book for Genetic Programming and Evolvable Machines.

Asaro, P. (2008). "How Just Could a Robot War Be?" in Philip Brey, Adam Briggle and Katinka Waelbers (eds.), Current Issues in Computing And Philosophy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: IOS Press, pp. 50-64.

Asaro, P. and Vann K. (2008). "Pornomechanics: Sex Robots and the Mechanisms of Love," in Johannes Grenzfurthner, Günther Fieslinger and Daniel Fabry (eds.) prOnnovation? Pornography and Technological Innovation, San Francisco, CA: RE/Search Publications, pp. 16-29.

Asaro, P. (2007). "Heinz von Foerster and the Bio-Computing Movements of the 1960s," in Albert Müller and Karl H. Müller (eds.) An Unfinished Revolution? Heinz von Foerster and the Biological Computer Laboratory | BCL 1958-1976. Vienna, Austria: Edition Echoraum.

Asaro, P. (2006). "A.I. and Emotional Robots: Collaborative Fiction in Science and Film," in Johannes Grenzfurthner (ed.) Monochrom Yearbook 2006. Vienna, Austria: Monochrom.

Asaro, P., C. Hayes, and P. Jones (2001). "CoRAVEN: A Cognitive Tool for Intelligence Analysis," in Marius S. Vassiliou and Thomas S. Huang (eds.) Computer Science Handbook for Displays. Thousand Oaks, CA: Rockwell Scientific Company, pp. 221-236.

Encyclopedia Articles

Asaro, P. (2005). "Participatory Design," in Carl Mitcham (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Science, Technology and Ethics. New York, NY: Macmillon, ISBN 0-02-865831-0.

Asaro, P. (2005). "Artificial Intelligence," in Colin Hempstead and William E. Worthington (eds.), The Encyclopedia of 20th Century Technology. London, UK: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, pp. 40-43.

Asaro, P. (2001). "Artificial Intelligence," "Artificial Life," "Cybernetics," "Cybernetic Writings of Norbert Wiener," "Cyborg," "McCulloch, Warren," and "Neural Networks" in Raul Rojas (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Computers and Computer History, London, UK: The Moschovitis Group and Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, pp. 52-59, 211-216, 219-221, 574-577.

Book Reviews

Asaro, P. (2009). "A Review of The Robot: The Life Story of a Technology," by Lisa Nocks, ISIS, December 2009, 100 (4), p. 890-891.

Asaro, P. (2001). "Techno-prophesy: Fantasy or Theology?" A Review of Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind by Hans Moravec, in Minds and Machines, February 2001, 11 (1), pp. 143-147.

Asaro, P. (2001). "A Review of Talking Nets: An Oral History of Neural Networks," by James A. Anderson and Edward Rosenfeld (eds.), in The Journal of the History of Neurosciences, 10 (1), pp. 122-124.

Asaro, P. (2001). "A Review of Enchanted Looms: Conscious Networks in Brains and Computers," by Rodney Cotterill, in The Journal of the History of Neurosciences, 10 (2), pp. 218-220.

Asaro, P. (1998). A Review of Technology and the Politics of Knowledge, by Andrew Feenberg and Alastair Hannay (eds.), in The Information Society, 14 (1).

Interviews, Invited Talks, Conferences & Proceedings

Interview by R. U. Sirius (2009). "Can Terminators Actually Be Our Salvation?" h+ Magazine, published May 29, 2009.

Interview by Noel Sharkey (2009). "A Love Machine?" Sound of Science program for Sheffield Live! Radio, aired January 30, 2009.

Interview by Noel Sharkey (2008). "Armed Military Robots," Sound of Science program for Sheffield Live! Radio, aired June 20, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2009). "New Media Theory," presented to the Department of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 11, 2009.

Asaro, P. (2009). "Remote-Controlled Warfare: Robotics, the Military and Digital Media," presented to the Department of Media, Culture and Communication, New York University, New York,. NY, February 6, 2009.

Asaro, P. (2009). "New Media Interfaces, Robotics, and Design Ethics," presented to the Program in Technical Communication, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, January 23, 2009.

Asaro, P. (2008). "Social Cognition & Social Relations," presented at the Social Robotics Workshop, Social Robotics Consortium of the Capital Region, Schenectady, NY, November 19, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2008). "Modeling the Moral User: Tele-Operation and Interfaces for Military Technology," presented at the Technology & Ethics Lecture Series, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, October 22, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2008). "New Media Interfaces and Military Robotics," presented to the Science and Technology Studies Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada, June 12, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2008). "Robotics, the Military, and New Media Interfaces," presented at the School of Communications, Department of Radio/TV/Film, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, March 19, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2008). "Armed Robots & Arms Control: Precedents & Strategies," Presented at the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), Technology in Wartime Conference, Stanford University Law School, Stanford, California, January 26, 2008.

Asaro, P. (2007). "The Ethics of Designing Autonomous Technologies," Presented at the Workshop on Philosophy and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Deflt, Netherlands, October 29-31, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "Intelligence Amplifiers and Robot Ethics," presented at the Center for Cultural Analysis, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, September 19, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "How Just Could a Robot War Be?," Presented at the European Computing and Philosophy Conference, Twente University, Enschede, Netherlands, June 21-23, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "Autonomous Technology as a Challenge to Just War Theory," Presented at Filosofidagarna, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden, June 8-10, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "Robots and Responsibility from a Legal Perspective," Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation, Workshop on Roboethics, Rome, April 14, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "On the Ethics of Robots and Autonomous Technologies," Presented at the HUMlab, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden, May 31, 2007.
Video

Asaro, P. (2007). "How Just Could a Robot War Be?," Presented at the Department of Philosophy, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden, May 18, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2007). "An Unfinished Revolution? Heinz von Foerster and the U of I Biological Computer Laboratory," (moderator) A panel discussion with Albert Müller, Karl H. Müller, Paul E. Weston and Ricardo Uribe, Presented at the Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, March 28, 2007.

Asaro, P. (2006). "Robots that Kill: The Ethics of Social and Anti-Social Robots," Presented at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Duisberg-Essen, Mercator House, Duisberg, Germany, December 13, 2006.

Asaro, P. (2006) "Herbert Brün: Formalism and Feedback in Composition," Presented at the Society for Social Studies of Science, Vancouver, Canada, November 2-4, 2006.

Asaro, P. (2005). "Robots as Working Models for Neuroscience," Presented at the Workshop on "A New Form of Experiment? Exploring the Performative Potential of Models and Computer Simulations." Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, October 18-19, 2005.

Asaro, P. (2005) "Working Models and Simulations in the Brain Sciences." Presented at the Society for Social Studies of Science Conference, Pasadena, California, October 20-22, 2005.

Asaro, P. (2004). "Models and Simulations: A Cybernetic Epistemology." Presented at the Society for Social Studies of Science/EASST Joint Conference, Ecole des Mines, Paris, France, August 26-28th, 2004.

Asaro, P. (2004). Session Organizer and Respondent to "Exploring the Mangle of Practice." Society for Social Studies of Science/EASST Joint Conference, Ecole des Mines, Paris, France, August 26-28th, 2004.

Asaro, P. (2004). "Ashby's Embodied Representations: Towards a Theory of Perception and Mind." Presented at the W. Ross Ashby Centenary Conference, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, March 4-6th, 2004.

Asaro, P. (2003). "Heinz von Foerster and the Bio-Computing Movements of the 1960s." Presented at the International Heinz von Foerster Congress, Wittgenstein House, Vienna, Austria, November 13-15th, 2003.

Asaro, P. (2003). "Machines, Memory and Intelligence: Three Computer Models of Mind." Presented at the Society for Social Studies of Science Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, October 15-18th, 2003.

Asaro, P. (2003). "Heinz von Foerster and the Bio-Computing Movements of the 1960s." Presented at the Society for Social Studies of Science, Atlanta, Georgia, October 15-18th, 2003.

Asaro, P. (2002). "Let Us Now Forget." A response to Geoffrey Bowker's Memory Practices in the Sciences and Synchronization 4: Hermes, Angels and the Narrative of the Archive. Presented at the Workshop on New Ontologies: Transdisciplinary Objects at the University of Illinois, Urbana, March 29-30th, 2002.

Jones, P. M., Hayes, C. C., Asaro, P., Fleury, T., Gwon, Y., Ergan, H., Lu, L., and N. Tu. (2001). "Collaboration Architecture for Intelligence Planning and Analysis: Beyond CoRAVEN," Proceedings of the 2000 Army Research Laboratory Federated Labs 5th Annual Symposium, Advanced Displays and Interactive Displays Consortium. College Park, MD, March 2001.

Hayes, C., R. Penner, H. Ergan, L. Lu, N. Tu, P. Jones, P. Asaro, R. Bargar, O. Chernyshenko, I. Choi, N. Danner, O. Mengshoel, J. Sniezek, D. Wilkins. "CoRAVEN: Model-Based Design of a Cognitive Tool for Real-Time Intelligence Monitoring and Analysis." Proceedings of the 2000 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. Nashville, TN, October 2000, Volume 2, pp. 1117-1122.

Jones, P. M., Hayes, C. C., Wilkins, D. C., Bargar, R., Sniezek, J., Asaro, P., Danner, N., Eychaner, J., Chernyshenko, S., Schrah, G., Ergan, H., Lu, L., Tu, N. and Schlabach, J. (2000). "CoRAVEN: Knowledge-Based Support for Intelligence Analysis," Proceedings of the 2000 Army Research Laboratory Federated Labs 4th Annual Symposium, Advanced Displays and Interactive Displays Consortium. College Park, MD, March 2000.

Asaro, P. (1999). "Transforming Society by Transforming Technology: The Science and Politics of Participatory Design," Workshop on: Information Technology and Critical Theory in the New Millenium: Is there still hope? at the Critical Management Studies Conference, Hulme Hall, Manchester University, July 14-16, 1999.

Jones, P. M., Hayes, C. C., Wilkins, D. C., Bargar, R., Sniezek, J., Asaro, P., Mengshoel, O., Kessler, D., Lucenti, M., Choi, I. Tu, N. and Schlabach, J. (1999). "CoRAVEN: Modeling and Design of a Multimedia Intelligent Infrastructure for Collaborative Intelligence Analysis," Proceedings of the 1999 Army Research Laboratory Federated Labs 3rd Annual Symposium, Advanced Displays and Interactive Displays Consortium. College Park, MD, March 1999.

Jones, P. M., Hayes, C. C., Wilkins, D. C., Bargar, R., Sniezek, J., Asaro, P., Mengshoel, O., Kessler, D., Lucenti, M., Choi, I. Tu, N. and Schlabach, J. (1998). "CoRAVEN: Modeling and Design of a Multimedia Intelligent Infrastructure for Collaborative Intelligence Analysis," Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, San Diego, CA, October 1998, Volume 1, pp. 914-919.

Asaro, P. (1994) "Connections, Symbols, and the Meaning of Intelligence." Illinois Wesleyan University, Psychology Honors Thesis, Paper 108, pp. 1-46.

Asaro, P. (1994) "A Case for Private Language," Undergraduate Review: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 4, pp. 1-7.

Asaro. P. (1993) "Methodological Solipsism Reconsidered: Is There Anybody Out There?," Undergraduate Review: Vol. 6: Iss. 1, Article 7, pp. 13-22.