Artificial Form of Life as the Discrimination Challenge for Education: Non-Human Intelligence and Schooling

The paper thematizes contemporary moment of humanity’s self-understanding in the context of advanced technological development, by looking at it through the lens of one and the same line (un)imaginability of artificial lifeform education. This perspective allows us to thematize the problem of discrimination in both of its meanings – how to distinguish the human form of life from others, in this case artificial forms of life, and how to ensure that this distinction does not serve as a basis for degradation – in order to argue for the suspension of human narcissism and suggest the possibility of their equality in access to education, and not only education. The first part presents the challenges artificial intelligence and especially androids represent to the traditional vision of the human, suggesting a necessity of its renewed examination and rearticulation in the style of critical posthumanism. The middle section differentiates two potential as well as typical reactions to the drama whose protagonists are humans and self-aware human-like robots, both of which arose from a fear of losing a recognizable human identity. It is concluded that, running parallel to changes in thinking humanity and the development of techno-science, there have been changes in approaches to humanity’s artificial Other and the (im)possibility of its education: from a fundamental rejection of such an idea that “soulless machines” might attend school, through a softened stance that autonomous automatons might be capable of learning, to allowing for the possibility that they even join humans in schools

Nova globalna javnost: Nadzor i rizici po građansku sferu

In Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1984), a galactic civilization built a super computer to answer the meaning of life. The answer, when given, is famously “forty-two”, a once both nonsense answer and one that has taken on great cache as a marker of insider nerd knowledge. Ask a computer to define the civil sphere, it would likely be able to define the binaries of hermeneutic code but it would be unable to explain why these things are meaningful to different groups. The context would escape it. This paper argues that the meaning making that results from the binary codes of the civil sphere are not compatible with a society compressed into numbers and in fact, the binaries of computer code distort meaning making into its opposite. The global nature of the public sphere through connected communications and smart devices inverts the civil sphere into making it (i.e. repressive) by enabling surveillance by anyone anywhere in the globe and therefore removing it from local context bound together by shared beliefs. To accommodate the impact of commercial surveillance enabled data collection on the civil sphere, the theory of the civil sphere must expand to consider the consequences of data collection and ordinalization through commercial surveillance – how are the binaries of the civil sphere transformed by the binaries of life reduced to data?U knjizi Daglasa Adamsa „Autostoperski vodič kroz galaksiju“ (1984), galaktička civilizacija je stvorila superkompjuter da bi dobila odgovor na pitanje o smislu života. Odgovor, kada ga ponudi, glasio je čuveno „četrdeset dva“, što je istovremeno besmislen odgovor i odgovor koji je stekao veliki značaj kao znak poznavanja insajderske štreberske kulture. Kada bi se kompjuteru postavilo pitanje da definiše građansku sferu, verovatno bi mogao da definiše binarne opozicije e hermeneutičkog koda, ali ne bi mogao da objasni zašto su te stvari značajne za različite grupe. Kontekst bi mu izmakao. Kada bi se kompjuter upitao da definiše građansku sferu, on bi verovatno bio sposoban da definiše binarne opozicije hermeneutičkog koda, ali ne bi bio sposoban da objasni zašto su ovi kodovi važni za različite grupe. Kontekst mu izmiče. Ovaj rad tvrd da je proces stvaranja značenja koji proizilazi iz binarnog koda građanske sfere, nije kompatibilan sa društvom koje je svedeno na brojeve, te da zapravo binarni kodovi kompjuterskog sistema zapravo izokreću značenja građanskog koda u njegove suprotnosti. Globalna priroda javne sfere kroz povezanu komunikaciju i pametne uređaje potpuno preokreće građansku sferu čineći je represivnom, omogućavajući nadzor bilo koga, bilo gde na svetu, i na taj način je odvaja od lokalnog konteksta u kojem se ljudi povezani zajedničkim verovanjima. Kako bi se prilagodila uticaju prikupljanja podataka omogućenog komercijalnim nadzorom na građanske sferu, teorija građanske sfere mora se proširiti kako bi uzela u obzir uticaj prikupljanja podataka i ordinalizacije kroz komercijalni nadzor – kako binarni kodovi civilne sfere bivaju pogođeni binarnim kodovima života svedenog na podatke

The Problem of Beauty in Architecture: An Institutional Analysis

In this essay I examine the perennial problem posed by beauty as an architectural aim. I argue that as problematic as pursuing this aim may be, architects cannot ultimately avoid confronting it. I then focus on the most general question that this aim raises: can architectural beauty be pursued largely independently of function or should the two aims be integrated in some fashion? Following an approach outlined by Anthony Savile, I argue that the question can only be answered by considering the institutional context of the particular architectural work. The upshot is a pluralist view of architectural beauty, recognizing the validity of Functionalist, Formalist, and Ornamentalist approaches in different contexts

Informal Participation Methods - An Addition to Formal Urban and Spatial Planning Systems

In the field of urban and spatial planning, formal methods often dominate. However, informal participation methods can significantly complement these processes by enhancing community engagement and enriching decision-making. These informal methods promote inclusivity and richness, engaging a broader range of people, including those who may not participate in formal processes. This helps build social capital, fostering trust and stronger social networks within communities. Additionally, informal participation can enhance public consensus and improve stakeholders’ understanding of local issues, resulting in more contextually relevant outcomes. Moreover, the promptness of informal methods allows for timely responses to emerging issues. Despite these benefits, informal methods also pose several challenges. They may require specific skills and expertise not always available to local governments. The associated costs, including new technologies and hiring experts, can be higher than those of formal methods. Furthermore, informal methods may require longer preparation times, as they often involve complex representations and detailed analysis. Lastly, these methods can prolong discussion times, potentially leading to increased friction between stakeholders and decision-makers. Balancing these advantages and disadvantages is crucial for effectively integrating informal methods into the formal planning system to promote more inclusive and resilient urban development

Globalni modeli ekstraktivizma: primeri kritičkih refleksija umetnika

Rad u uvodnom delu daje kratak pregled genealogije pojma ekstraktivizma i njegova recentna tumačenja u proširenom kontekstu novih geopolitičkih konstelacija. U teorijskoj diskusiji razmatra se Marxov pojam ekstraktivnih industrija i distinkcija između aproprijacije, shvaćene kao osnove svih oblika svojine i načina proizvodnje, i posebnih oblika aproprijacije, kao što su eksproprijacija radi profita, karakteristična za kapitalizam. Marxove teze sučeljavaju se i preispituju kroz prizmu predstavnika američkog talasa ekosocijalizma Johna Bellamyja Fostera. Osvrt na aktivističke pokrete koji se javljaju širom sveta u borbi protiv različitih vidova i posledica ekstraktivističkog kapitalizma i neokolonijalnizma uvodi središnja razmatranja o umetničkim praksama koje se bave ekološkim temama. U drugom delu rada analiziraju se umetničke pozicije koje razobličujući i kritikujući mehanizme globalnog ekstraktivizma, koji proizvodi ekocide i ugrožava različite zajednice u brojnim zemljama sveta, nadasve Globalnog juga, nude modele saradnje s tim zajednicama, osmišljavaju drugačije vidove iskazivanja solidarnosti i umrežavanja. Pri tome, svojim radovima i istraživanjima, umetnici čije se prakse i primeri razmatraju, posebno ukazuju i na samokolonizujuću politiku korumpiranih režima koji resurse svojih zemalja nude korporacijama uz koncesije, ne obazirući se na potencijalne ekološke katastrofe koje njihove teritorije pretvaraju u zone žrtvovanja s velikim posledicama po lokalni ekosistem

Easy to read, easier to write: The politics of AI in consultancy trade research

AI systems have been rapidly implemented in all sectors, of all sizes and in every country. In this article, we conduct a bibliometric review of references in recent consultancy reports on AI use in business, policymaking, and strategic management. The uptake of these reports is high. We find three positive factors: focus on client-facing solutions, speed of production, and ease of access. We find that the evidentiary quality of reports is often unsatisfactory because of references-clubbing with other consultancy reports, references to surveys without transparency, or poor or missing references. To optimize the utility of consultancy reports for decision-makers and their pertinence for policy, we present recommendations for the quality assessment of consultancy reporting on AI’s use in organizations. We discuss how to improve general knowledge of AI use in business and policymaking, through effective collaborations between consultants and management scientists. In addition to being of interest to managers and consultants, this work may also be of interest to media, political scientists, and business-school communiti

Pripadnost, migracija i uključenost u građansku sferu

In this article, we explore the intersection of migration, membership, and inclusion through Civil Sphere Theory (CST), the most powerful theory currently available for explaining social solidarity in modern, differentiated societies. While CST has amply proven its worth by deepening our understanding of social solidarity and civil repair within established polities, it has insufficiently addressed the boundaries that define inclusion and exclusion in the context of migration. We open the article by reconceptualizing immigration as the crossing of geographical, political, and symbolic boundaries. This perspective shifts the focus from linear processes of inclusion to the dynamic interplay between national membership, citizenship, and the civil sphere. Drawing on CST’s nuanced approach to cultural and social boundaries, the paper makes explicit how in the contemporary world, national and civil memberships are tightly coupled. Concerning migration, the civil sphere must consequently mediate between the formal inclusivity of liberal-democratic ideals and the bounded character of national belonging. We further advance a critique of CST’s limited attention to citizenship, emphasizing how citizenship remains a key conduit for universalizing national membership. To conclude, we identify the engine of potential membership change in the tension between social and symbolic boundaries embedded in differentiated societies. This approach bridges migration studies and cultural sociology, providing some preliminary insights into the mechanisms involved in civil incorporation.U ovom članku istražujemo odnos između migracije, pripadnosti i uključenosti kroz prizmu teorije građanske sfere, trenutno najsnažnijeg teorijskog okvira za razumevanje društvene solidarnosti u savremenim, diferenciranim društvima. Iako se teorija građanske sfere pokazala značajnom za produbljivanje razumevanja društvene solidarnosti i građanske obnove unutar ustanovljenih političkih sistema, ona je nedovoljno razmatrala granice koje određuju procese uključivanja i isključivanja u kontekstu migracija. Članak započinjemo rekonceptualizacijom imigracije kao procesa prelaska geografskih, političkih i simboličkih granica. Ovakav pristup pomera fokus sa linearnog shvatanja inkluzije na dinamičan međuodnos između nacionalne pripadnosti, državljanstva i građanske sfere. Oslanjajući se na sofisticiran pristup društvenim i kulturnim granicama razvijen u okviru teorije građanske sfere, tvrdimo da su u savremenom svetu nacionalna i građanska pripadnost duboko povezane. U kontekstu migracija, građanska sfera, dakle, mora posredovati između formalne inkluzivnosti liberalno-demokratskih ideala i ograničavajućeg karaktera nacionalne pripadnosti. Nakon toga razvijamo kritiku teorije građanske sfere zbog njenog nedovoljnog fokusa na državljanstvo, naglašavajući da državljanstvo dalje ostaje ključni kanal za univerzalizaciju nacionalne pripadnosti. Na kraju, identifikujemo glavni pokretač promena u konceptu članstva – tenziju između društvenih i simboličkih granica unutar diferenciranih društava. Ovaj pristup spaja studije migracija i kulturnu sociologiju, pružajući preliminarne uvide u mehanizme građanske integracije

Građansko društvo IV: Demokratska solidarnost i ne-građanska potpora građanskoj sferi

A defining feature of what Alexander calls Civil Society (CS) III is its separation—analytic and empirical—from the putatively non-civil spheres of the family, schools, and associational forms which lack public communicative intent and comprise CS I. While critical to the progress of CST as a research program, with this separation and delimited conception, civil sphere theorists may miss a key insight of CS I regarding the mutual interdependence of spheres. Although civil codes, institutions, and interactional practices may have their “natural” home in the civil sphere, their emotional and normative force, and their survival over time, depend upon their ancillary institutionalization in non-civil spheres. Families are key to democratic socialization. Schools cultivate democratic dispositions through citizen-formation, inducting students into their nation’s democratic traditions. And through civic action and civic interaction orders prejudices are challenged, and citizens become open to new forms of incorporation. Using the case of contemporary American democratic culture, we survey scholarship on political polarization and social capital’s decline in the US, and argue that the discord characteristic of contemporary America’s civil sphere arises, in part, from these non-civil spheres. That is, the erosion of democratic solidarity and basic norms of civility originate in democratic deficits in those non-civil spheres that scaffold the civil sphere.Jedna od ključnih karakteristika onoga što Aleksander naziva Građanskim društvom III je njegova analitička i empirijska odvojenost od navodno ne-građanskih sfera, kao što su porodica, škola i udruženja koja nemaju javnu komunikativnu nameru, a koja čine GD I. Iako je ovo bilo ključno za razvoj teorije građanske sfere kao istraživačkog programa, sa odvajanjem i razgraničavanjem građanske sfere, teoretičari građanske sfere mogu propustiti ključne uvide koje je donelo Građansko društvo I u pogledu uzajamne međuzavisnosti različitih sfera. Iako građanski kodovi, institucije i interakcijske prakse možda imaju svoje „prirodno“ mesto u građanskoj sferi, njihova emocionalna i normativna snaga, kao i njihov opstanak tokom vremena, zavise od njihove pomoćne institucionalizacije u ne-civilnim sferama. Porodice su ključne za demokratsku socijalizaciju. Škole neguju demokratske dispozicije kroz formiranje građana, uvodeći učenike u demokratske tradicije svoje nacije. I kroz građanske akcije i građanske interakcijske poretke dovode se u pitanje predrasude i građani postaju otvoreni za nove oblike uključivanja. Koristeći slučaj savremene američke demokratske kulture, analiziramo radove o političkoj polarizaciji i opadanju socijalnog kapitala u SAD-u, i tvrdimo da rastuće neslaganje karakteristično za građansku sferu savremene Amerike delimično proizilazi iz ne-civilnih sfera. To znači da erozija demokratske solidarnosti i osnovnih normi uljudnosti potiče iz demokratskih deficita u tim ne-civilnim sferama koje treba da podržavaju građansku sferu

Beauty as Outcome of Reason and Emotion in Architecture

Our capacity to think affords us to be conscious of what we experience, learn, remember and judge. The results are understanding caused by reason and emotion, the latter being reaction to the former. In turn, remembered emotion may be the cause for seeking additional understanding. This dual aspect relates to the processes in which beauty, defined in this essay as positive aesthetic feeling, plays a role in the perception and development of architecture.1 Sensation and instinct are addressed in search of how they influence our understanding beyond knowledge toward meaning through creativity and judgment. Before we get to that, however, it is necessary to look at the very foundation from which experience and thinking evolves. It is what we call reality, defined here in short, as form-matter unity. Built examples are analyzed regarding properties which let feelings of beauty arise