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Article
Oration Infinity, Kaleidoscopy and Society: On reflections of AI
On December 15, 2023, Sennay Gherbreab, professor of Socially Intelligent AI, delivered his inaugural lecture 'Infinity, Kaleidoscopy and Society: On reflections of AI.' The world is increasingly turning to 'AI Safety' research and policy to ensure responsible development and deployment of AI. An important issue in the field of AI Safety is the value issue: aligning 'machine values' and 'human values', says Prof. Dr. Sennay Ghebreab in his inaugural lecture. Below you will find the links below to watch or read the inaugural lecture.
The fundamental problem, according to Ghebreab, is that AI inherits undesirable and contradictory human values. As a result, AI can cause harm despite, and sometimes even because of, the alignment of human and machine values. According to Ghebreab, to ensure that AI benefits society, a shift is necessary from human-machine coordination to human-human coordination with the help of AI. This is the only way out of the current unhealthy 'catch-22' relationship between society and AI.
Many metaphors have been used to describe AI, but according to Ghebreab, the glass mirror stands out as one of the most compelling and telling, due to the deep technological, philosophical and social associations that have evolved around it over the centuries. Like the glass mirror, AI has the potential to change society for the better, over time and space. However, this potential is at risk of being unfulfilled because AI is currently developed and deployed within selfish and self-perpetuating societies, driven by the 'ethics of the market'.
We must, Ghebreab argues, have the courage to think outside the box and adopt a perspective on AI that emphasizes inclusive engagement with the planet and its rich diversity of people, cultures and values. In this case, human-human value coordination must be given priority over human-machine value coordination. If this succeeds, an alternative route to more self-critical and self-aware societies, based on the 'ethics of life', is possible. -
Article
ClimateChange, Radical Uncertainty and Hope
[ABSTRACT]
This research explores a hopeful response to radical uncertainty in the context of climate change. Views on climate change are often either pessimistic or optimistic. But it is not constructive to divide the world into pessimists and optimists. There is a third way, one of hope, to deal with radical uncertainty in the context of climate change. This study develops a response to climate change based on hope, derived from the work of the late Jonathan Sacks, leading British public intellectual and Chief Rabbi. The necessity for this study emerged out of the debate within economics on radical uncertainty in the context of climate change. Radial uncertainty, uncertainty inherent in the human condition (derived from Hannah Arendt), appears not to be adequately addressed by the critical assumptions underlying conventional economic modelling, in particular the social cost-benefit analysis (SCBA).
Following Dan Rodrik’s approach to economics, an economic model is only useful when it captures the most relevant aspects of reality. Therefore, this study questions the critical assumptions underlying SCBA. The study argues that Sacks’ understanding of hope, derived from the ancient narrative of the Exodus, lends itself to several alternative critical assumptions to address radical uncertainty: emunah (particular type of trust), chessed (particular type of love), change of identity and two supporting institutions, namely covenant and public Sabbath. Hope appears to be a realistic journey of taking courageous and practical steps together and thereby gradually becoming aware that there is something new and liberating possible in the midst of radical uncertainty.
The study develops a conversation or transversal reasoning between Jonathan Sacks and the economists Bart Nooteboom, Samuel Bowles, Dan Ariely and John Kay & Mervyn King, using van Huyssteen’s postfoundational approach. In this conversation the alternative critical assumptions are discussed and the relevance this conversation for a social response to radical uncertainty in the context of climate change is shown. The conversation shows also that hope is not contrary to contemporary economic insights, but remarkably compatible with them. At the same time, it is also shown that both disciplines can learn from one another.Source: Hasselaar, J. J. (2021). Climate Change, Radical Uncertainty and Hope: Theology and Economics in Conversation. [PhD-Thesis - Research and graduation internal, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam].
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Article
Bioclock: the effects of light pollution on humans, animals and plants
Below you can listen to the story of Dr. Joke Meijer, professor of Neuropsychology at Leiden University. She conducts research into the day and night rhythm of the world and how biology adapted to it.
With a beautiful and illuminating presentation she takes us into the origins of our biorhythms (3 billion years old) and our dependence on it. And the contrast with the current reality, in which the ecosystem is being destroyed in gardens with cozy LED lights for € 14.50.
All life on Earth has a lifestyle that is precisely adapted to this rhythm, allowing organisms to perform and function optimally. Entire ecosystems depend on this regularity, but the light pollution from our cities, industry and greenhouse horticulture completely disrupt this. The consequences are slowly becoming very harmful to people and nature.The recording was made on the 22nd of September 2023 during the Academic workshop Urban Ecology and Biobased Solutions, as the Dark Festival kick-off.
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Article
Effects of lighting on humans, bats and insects
The Netherlands and the rest of the world are becoming increasingly lighter. Light has extreme effects on animals. The rhythm and reproductive capabilities of birds, bats, frogs/toads and insects, among others, can be seriously disrupted. Bats, being nocturnal animals par excellence, are particularly affected by high light levels. To protect biodiversity (of bats), nighttime light must be reduced. In addition to reducing lighting, you can also look at adjusting the spectrum of the lighting used. Most bats (and insects) see red light less well compared to humans. This presentation explains the effects and possible applications of different types of light on the activity of bats and insects. The effect of light pollution on human biology is also explained.
Images copyright: Kamiel Spoelstra
Workshop Urban Ecology & Biobased Solutions
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Article
On the lighting policy of the City of Amsterdam
The City of Amsterdam already introduced lighting policy 4 centuries ago. In 2023 the municipality will have 128,000 light poles and 50 light art installations. The current lighting policy was established in 2017. The main ambition is to illuminate sustainably, and also not to illuminate where it is not necessary. This presentation explains how the City of Amsterdam does this and what the challenges are. Because LED lighting is becoming more sustainable and cheaper, light pollution is also increasing. These are two biggest challenges for both the municipality and private and commercial parties. These include more wildlife-friendly lighting and reducing 'unnecessary' light pollution.
Presentation by Hans Akkerman
Workshop Urban Ecology & Biobased Solutions
February 2, 2023