Anthropomorphism or sub-anthropomorphism? An anthropological approach to gods and robots

Since the 1980s, a new area of research entitled HRI (Human-Robot Interaction) has been emerging in the field of robotic studies. It focuses on the empirical study of the relationship between robots and human beings. This article aims to contrast the findings of roboticists concerning the interaction between humans and robots with anthropological studies which focus on the ritual interaction between gods and humans in specific religious contexts. This idea may seem provocative, but it is argued here that such a comparison can yield valuable insights both at a theoretical level and at an empirical one. This will be demonstrated with reference to ritual interactions between humans and gods in the Western Himalayas.