Epistemic Agency in the Age of AI
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
28 February 2025
Macquarie University Ethics and Agency Research Centre
Michael Kirby Building
330+331 Function Room, 17 Wally's Walk (in-person only)
Wallumattagal Campus, Macquarie University
Organiser: Dr Regina Fabry
Contact: regina.fabry@mq.edu.au
In recent years, research on the impact of AI technologies on human cognition and affectivity has gained momentum. Predictive machine learning algorithms, chatbots based on Large Language Models, and other AI systems are now widely used by various stakeholders. The widespread development and application of these technologies calls for rigorous philosophical scrutiny. This scrutiny requires the exploration of pressing questions about the future of human agency. These questions are usually either epistemological or ethical in character. Urgent epistemological questions include: How do AI technologies impact decision-making and problem-solving? How do these technologies reshape our practices of remembering, imagining, and cultivating our autonomy, authenticity, and sense of responsibility? Pressing ethical questions include: What kind of epistemic environments should we create in the age of AI? Which AI technologies should be restricted or even prohibited to avoid harmful impacts on human agency? How should negative impacts of AI technologies on epistemic agents be mitigated? So far, these epistemological and ethical questions have been explored largely in isolation from each other. The purpose of this workshop is to bring epistemological and ethical considerations into dialogue. Showcasing cutting-edge research, this workshop thus aims at forging new connections between the epistemology and ethics of AI technologies.
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