Rasmus Gahrn-Andersen

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About

Rasmus Gahrn-Andersen is a leading voice in the philosophy of technology and cognitive science, whose work probes the unsettling intersection of human experience and artificial agency. His research centers on how we perceive autonomy in machines—from drones to humanoid robots—and what this reveals about our own sense of being. In his most-cited paper, "Seeming autonomy, technology and the uncanny valley" (2020, 14 citations), Gahrn-Andersen reframes the classic "uncanny valley" effect not as a simple design flaw, but as a profound existential discomfort triggered when technology mimics life too closely. He argues that this feeling of eeriness stems from a perceived mismatch between surface behavior and genuine agency. Building on this, his 2021 work "Drones, robots and perceived autonomy" (7 citations) extends the analysis to real-world autonomous systems, exploring how their seeming independence challenges our understanding of living, intentional beings. By bridging phenomenology, robotics, and social theory, Gahrn-Andersen offers a fresh, critical lens on the human condition in an age of increasingly lifelike machines. His contributions are vital for anyone grappling with the ethical and psychological implications of our growing reliance on autonomous technology.