[CogSci] Call for Abstract - Special Issue "Autonomous Robotics in Medicine. Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives" @Mefisto (Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History)

[Martina Bacaro]

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for a forthcoming Special Issue of Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History, entitled: Autonomous Robotics in Medicine: Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives


Guest editors:

Francesco Bianchini – University of Bologna – francesco.bianchini at unibo.it<mailto:francesco.bianchini at unibo.it>
Martina Bacaro - University of Bologna - martina.bacaro2 at unibo.it<mailto:martina.bacaro2 at 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.

We welcome submissions addressing (but not limited to) the following topics:

Epistemology of Medical Robotics

– How does autonomous robotics reshape medical knowledge and clinical decision-making?
– In what ways do autonomous systems influence diagnostic reasoning and therapeutic interventions?
– What kinds of biases and limitations emerge in data-driven models underlying autonomous medical robots?
Ethics and Normativity of Robotic Autonomy
– How do autonomous robots affect patient trust and medical responsibility?
– What ethical concerns arise from the use of AI-driven robotics in patient care?
– How should technological efficiency be balanced with human-centered care and ethical considerations?
Autonomous Robotics and Medical Practice
– How does the introduction of autonomous robots alter the organization of medical work and diagnostic frameworks?
– What new forms of human–robot collaboration emerge in rehabilitation, psychiatry, and elderly care?
– How do patients and healthcare professionals perceive and interact with autonomous robotic systems?
Humanoid/non-humanoid robotics in medicine
– How can human–robot interaction impact medical practice?
– Which robotic shapes and features are most useful in medical contexts?
– Medicine and the uncanny valley problem
Specific applications and case studies
– Autonomous robotics in motor and cognitive rehabilitation
– Autonomous robots in psychiatric therapies
– Assistive robotics and patient autonomy in neurodegenerative disease care


Contributions are welcomed from a broad spectrum of areas, including Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences, Philosophy of Medicine, Philosophy of Psychiatry, Philosophy of Psychology, Philosophy of Artificial intelligence, Philosophy of Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction Studies, and Ethics.



Submission Guidelines

Abstracts of up to 500 words (excluding references), clearly outlining the main argument and contribution of the proposed paper, should be submitted by 15 February 2026 to:

Francesco Bianchini – francesco.bianchini at unibo.it<mailto:francesco.bianchini at unibo.it>

Martina Bacaro – martina.bacaro2 at unibo.it<mailto:martina.bacaro2 at unibo.it>

Selected authors will be notified by 28 February 2026 and invited to submit a full paper by 30 May 2026. Full papers should not exceed 8,000 words (excluding references) and must follow the journal’s submission guidelines: https://www.journal.edizioniets.eu/index.php/mefisto/Stylesheet

For full paper submission, authors must register on the journal’s website and submit their manuscript as “Focus” for this special issue: https://www.journal.edizioniets.eu/index.php/mefisto/about/submissions
All submissions will undergo peer review by the guest editors and anonymous reviewers.

Timeline

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Abstract submission deadline: 15/02/2026

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Notification of acceptance: 28/02/2026
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Full paper submission deadline: 30/05/2026
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Expected date of publication: December 2026
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Mefisto is classified as a “Class A” journal in the Italian evaluation system. For further info about the journal: https://www.journal.edizioniets.eu/index.php/mefisto/about



For any additional information, feel free to contact the guest editors.


Kind regards,

Francesco Bianchini

Martina Bacaro


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