Friday, May 3

An Evening With Sandy Starr on Artificial Intelligence

A evening on what AI can tell us about human intelligence, whether humans are machines, and more.

By Zurich Salon

Date and time

Friday, May 3 · 7 - 8:30pm CEST

Location

Volkshaus

60 Stauffacherstrasse 8004 Zürich Switzerland

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

About this event

1 hour 30 minutes

The Zurich Salon is proud to present Sandy Starr in an evening on Artificial Intelligence.

(To purchase tickets for 12 CHF a piece via TWINT use the following number and write the event-identifying phrase "Zurich Salon AI": +41 78 943 61 22.)

From algorithms to AI: how do we know humans and machines are different?

Humans have used algorithms – a certain kind of well-defined procedure that accomplishes a task – for more than 2,000 years. In the early 20th century, it was established that the pursuit of human knowledge cannot be reduced to algorithms, not even when the knowledge in question concerns numbers. This discovery clarified which aspects of human thought do, and do not, lend themselves to automation. From this insight, the discipline of computer science was born.

Now, in the 21st century, we find ourselves confronted with the fruits of computer science – rapidly advancing AI technologies – which are testing our assumptions about whether, and in what respect, humans are different from machines.

In light of the latest advances in generative AI, how confident can we be that humans and machines are fundamentally different? Are humans ghosts within the machine or mere machines without free will or understanding?

To discuss these questions, join the Salon at the Volkshaus in Zurich, at 19:00 on Friday, the 3rd of May.

You can see Sandy's brilliant 2023 lecture on the visionary scientist JBS Haldane here.

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Sandy Starr is deputy director of the Progress Educational Trust, a charity that advances public understanding of science, law and ethics in the fields of genetics/genomics, assisted conception and embryo/stem cell research. Sandy also serves on the Oversight Group of the project Governance of Stem-Cell-Based Embryo Models, led by Cambridge Reproduction.

Sandy has addressed MPs in the UK Parliament on the subject of human embryo research, and has given a TEDx talk about genomics. He is author of the pamphlet AI: Separating Man from Machine, he has written about AI in relation to the life and legacy of Ada Lovelace, and he has debated about AI in relation to architecture.

Sandy Starr

Organized by

Zurich Salon

The Zurich Salon advocates freedom of expression and rational discussion in the Enlightenment tradition. It promotes open-ended debate in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The Zurich Salon’s objective is to push the boundaries of public discussion and to widen our horizons. It exists to create a public space to explore contemporary issues critically and constructively.

Because audience participation is prized, opening remarks from speakers are kept short. Though occasionally the Salon will host lectures.

Depending on the speakers and topic, Salon discussions take place in either German or English.

Nothing is off-limits from politics and philosophy, to business and the arts. No contentious issue or difference of opinion is brushed under the carpet.

While the Zurich Salon embraces discussion on contentious issues, it trusts the audience to come to its own well-founded – most likely, conflicted – conclusions.

Salon-goers have a right to hold opinions and, arguably, a duty to express and defend them. The Salon’s ethos is that it is only through open debate that we come to know and develop our own opinions and to formulate informed judgments about the views of others.