Thursday Seminar Today

[Nuhu Osman Attah]

Hello Everyone, 

Later today, the Thursday Seminar Series welcomes Marco Facchin-Clerici (Antwerp). The talk will be at 3:30pm in the RSSS Auditorium (room 1.28). Title and abstract are below.

Other events in the day include: 

- A grads-only pre-talk session with the speaker in room 6.68 at 2:00pm;

- Afternoon tea in the School of Philosophy tearoom at 3:00pm;

- Drinks at Badger & Co at 5:00pm;

- Dinner at Mama's Trattoria at 6:30pm, half-subsidized for grad students (put your name down here if you would like to join).

Title: A-lieving that ChatGPT loves you

Abstract: We increasingly form enduring and emotionally salient bonds with AI-powered technologies. Yet, arguably most of the users don’t actually believe that these technologies harbor genuine affective (and more generally mental) states towards them. Why, then, do users bond with technologies? What mental states support and enable the flourishing of such human-AI bonds, leading some users to even fall in love with their AI companions? In my talk, I begin answering these questions criticizing popular (in the philosophical circles) fictionalist accounts of human-AI interactions. In the light of these limitations, and trying to overcome them, I’ll offer a different account, based on aliefs. Roughly put, the human-looking surface of these technologies triggers our emotional responses, in a way that is entirely a-rational and unavoidable. 

Hope to see you all there.

[Note: All visitors (faculty, graduate students, undergraduates) are welcome to join for dinner. Faculty dine at a rate of ~$30.00 AUD, and graduate students and undergraduates at a rate of roughly $15.00 AUD.]

Best,
Osman & Josh