ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the viability of a number of ontological properties and relational mechanisms for determining the moral or legal status of nonhuman entities. It reviews kinship, more directly than any of the other properties or mechanisms, that abjures anthropocentrism, which has shown to be problematic for both ethical and environmental reasons. The chapter presents two hypothetical examples drawn from robotic technology currently out in the world—zoomorphic robot companions and anthropomorphic sex robots. Both of these hypothetical examples were provided in order to demonstrate how the multi-spectral framework and critical environmental ethic might be used to respond to real-world situations where the rights of intelligent machines are at issue.
