Philosophical Epistemological Study of Human–Machine Collaborative Technology in Intelligent Manufacturing

Abstract

Intelligent manufacturing is a systematic engineering and technological innovation that propels the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing industry, enhancing industrial competitiveness. It is a pivotal element in strengthening the manufacturing sector of China. The comprehensive and profound advancement of intelligent manufacturing necessitates adherence to ideological innovation, requiring the formulation of a scientifically grounded development strategy from its philosophical roots. This paper, based on the phenomenological reductionism and ontological perspective method, starts from the perspective of the philosophy of technology, integrates systemic dialectical logical reasoning, investigates and identifies the “hard problems” of human– machine collaborative technology in intelligent manufacturing, and insightfully explores its philosophical essence from the standpoint of the philosophy of scientific epistemology. The research findings indicate that explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge are commonly present in manufacturing technology activities. However, the long-standing technological development has overlooked the significance of tacit knowledge and has made an unreasonable assumption about the existence of “rational people” in human subjects, neglecting their crucial role in manufacturing systems. Therefore, this paper, through ontological reflection, proposes a Cartesian intelligent manufacturing technology development path based on the Internet of Things, Internet of Contents & Knowledge, and Internet of Bodies. Building upon this foundation, it establishes a Heideggerian intelligent manufacturing system architecture grounded in behavior-oriented, deictic representations, and embodied embedding. Through this traceable causal analysis, it constructs a three-stage progressive development knowledge paradigm for resolving the “hard problems” of human – machine collaborative technology. This paradigm is characterized by data-driven, functional representation, and embodied integration. To efficiently promote the development of the new-generation intelligent manufacturing, a knowledge engineering classification assessment system can be established. The application of theoretical cognitive models can drive the resolution of technological challenges and the formulation of industry support policies. Establishing a multi-faceted application-oriented intelligent manufacturing public service platform strengthens knowledge circulation and integrated application.

Keywords

• intelligent manufacturing
• human–machine collaborative technology
• philosophy of technology
• epistemology
• knowledge paradigm