Transhumanism and epistemology

The author analyzes the main epistemological orientations characterizing the transhumanist movement, by referring to the results of a recent internal survey. He argues that these data imply a sub-optimal communication between the transhumanist movement and the external world, since its utopian reputation is in contrast with the pragmatic approach to science of most transhumanists. Finally, by shifting from a descriptive perspective to a normative one, he proposes "critical scientism" as an acceptable compromise among the different philosophical souls of the movement and, especially, between scientism and postmodernism

Pure science and the posthuman future

Since the industrial revolution, humans have tended to reduce science to the ancillary role of engine of technology. But the quest for knowledge started two and a half millennia ago with the aim of setting humans free from ignorance. The first scientists and philosophers saw knowledge as the goal, not as the means. The main goal was to understand matter, life, conscience, intelligence, our origin, and our destiny, not only to solve practical problems. Being sceptical to myths and religions, they gave themselves the goal to reach The Answer via rational and empirical inquiry. Transhumanism is a very specific philosophy of technology, because one of its goals is the creation of a posthuman intelligence. Several scientists share this hope: making of technology the ancilla of science, and not vice versa

The poetics of futurism : beyond the boundaries of art

Artykł jest poświęcony rozpoznaniu relacji między programem a faktycznymi dokonaniami włoskiego futuryzmu. Futurystów wprowadzają do literatury cywilizację miejską, przemysłową, dynamiczną, technologiczną i burzliwą w poetyce, która bez zahamowań łamie normy językowe, obrazowe, retoryczne i metryczne. Programowe „uwolnienie słów” prowadzi tu do „uwolnienia” różnorodnych przejawów witalności oraz energii, a rewolucja w postrzeganiu rzeczywistości nabiera rozmachu. Zasada mimetyzmu ustępuje miejsca kreacjonizmowi, stanowiącemu syntezę wszelkich dyscyplin wiedzy, sztuki, techniki i praktyki życiowej. Futuryści głoszą nie tylko wzniosłość naturalną jak poprzednicy, ale wydobywają i gloryfikują wzniosłość sztuczną, wyprodukowaną dzięki nauce i technologiom.The article is devoted to the analysis of the relationship between the program and the actual achievements of Italian Futurism. The Futurists introduce in literature the themes of the new urban, industrial, dynamic, technological, and tumultuous civilization, through a poetic which, without inhibitions, breaks linguistic, pictorial, rhetorical, and metric rules. The “words-in-freedom” program leads to the “liberation” of various forms of energy and vitality, and opens the way for a revolution in the perception of reality. The principle of mimesis gives way to free creation, which breaks down the boundaries between the fine arts and engineering, between artistic disciplines and life experience. The futurists seek not only the natural sublime as their predecessors, but also produce and glorify the artificial sublime, made through science and technology.L’articolo è dedicato allo studio del rapporto tra il programma e le realizzazioni effettive del Futurismo italiano. I futuristi introducono nella letteratura i temi della nuova civiltà urbana, industriale, dinamica, tecnologica e tumultuosa, attraverso una poetica che, senza inibizioni, infrange norme linguistiche, pittoriche, retoriche e metriche. Il programma delle “parole in libertà” conduce alla “liberazione” di varie forme di vitalità e di energia, e apre la strada a una rivoluzione nella percezione della realtà. Il principio della mimesi cede il passo alla libera creazione, che abbatte i confini tra le belle arti e l’ingegneria, tra le discipline artistiche e l’esperienza di vita. I futuristi ricercano non solo il sublime naturale come i loro predecessori, ma producono e glorificano anche il sublime artificiale, realizzato attraverso la scienza e la tecnologia

"Ethos" i "àtomos" : międzynarodowy wymiar badań nuklearnych i wynikające z nich problemy etyczne

Tematem naukowym, który bardziej niż jakikolwiek inny został przeanalizowany w kategoriach etycznych oraz politycznych, jest fizyka jądrowa i jej zastosowanie technologiczne w sektorach wojskowych i cywilnych. Niezwykły wzrost etycznych refleksji odnośnie wykorzystania energii jądrowej można wytłumaczyć faktem, że ta dziedzina nauki zakłada od początku wyraźny wymiar międzynarodowy. Postęp techniczny generuje praktyczne problemy, które oddziałują na cały świat. Celem niniejszej refleksji jest weryfikacja, w jakim stopniu normy klasycznego etosu naukowego oddziałują na badania prowadzone w zakresie fizyki i techniki jądrowej oraz jak bardzo są one istotne w kontekście postępu technicznego.If there is a scientific theme that more than any other has been analyzed, dissected and discussed in ethical and political terms, this is undoubtedly that of nuclear physics and its technological applications in the military and civil sectors. The phenomenal rise of ethical reflections on the uses of nuclear energy can be explained by the fact that this field of study assumes, from the beginning, a distinctly international dimension. Besides, it generates practical problems that reverberate throughout the world. The objective of this research is to verify the extent to which the norms of classical scientific ethos still apply in nuclear physics and engineering, and to which extent these rules may be relevant to the discourse of technoethics

Social robots and social work

The goal of this article is to seek a path of cooperation between engineers and sociologists in view of the construction of increasingly sophisticated social robots. First, I show how humanoid and animaloidcompanion robots are used in the field of applied sociology and social work. Secondly, I explore several problems relating to social robotics, and in particular those of effectiveness and safety of human-robot interaction. Finally, I emphasize that two key concepts in this research area are scenario and persona. Trained sociologists and psychologists may give a substantive contribution to the development of social robotics by helping engineers in the creation of scenarios and personas

Technological unemployment : a brief history of an idea

This article traces a brief history of a particularly relevant concept in political economy and economic sociology: technological unemployment. The historical narration aims at covering four centuries, since the beginning of the industrial revolution up to the present. As a consequence, it has to be highly selective. It is mainly based on sources in the English language and refers only to a few of the many social scientists involved in the debate. The scopes of the inquiry are essentially two. The first is to show that focusing on technological unemployment as an idea - and not simply as a phenomenon - is appropriate, because of the high level of controversy that still characterises the debate. The second is to drive attention to a concept that could be extremely useful to understand the technological and societal changes occurring in the twenty-first century

Technological growth and unemployment : a global scenario analysis

The aim of this article is to explore the possible futures generated by the development of artificial intelligence. Our focus will be on the social consequences of automation and robotisation, with special attention being paid to the problem of unemployment. In spite of the fact that this investigation is mainly speculative in character, we will try to develop our analysis in a methodologically sound way. To start, we will make clear that the relation between technology and structural unemployment is still controversial. Therefore, the hypothetical character of this relation must be fully recognized. Secondly, as proper scenario analysis requires, we will not limit ourselves to predict a unique future, but we will extrapolate from present data at least four different possible developments: 1) unplanned end of work scenario; 2) planned end of robots scenario; 3) unplanned end of robots scenario, and 4) planned end of work scenario. Finally, we will relate the possible developments not just to observed trends but also to social and industrial policies presently at work in our society which may change the course of these trends

An anomalous role : the figure of the "flâneur" in sociological literature

The figure of the flâneur is attracting growing interest among sociologists. The question that has stimulated this research is the following: which is the “role” of the flâneur in the social system? After having briefly expounded the Theory of Roles, we examine some sociological works which seem particularly useful to formulate a response. Our analysis is primarily focused on the works of Walter Benjamin, Anthony Giddens, Zygmunt Bauman, and Giampaolo Nuvolati, taken as paradigmatic cases of four possible perspectives.La figura del flâneur sta suscitando crescente interesse tra i sociologi. Il quesito che ha stimolato la presente ricerca è il seguente: qual è il “ruolo” del flâneur nel sistema sociale? Dopo aver esposto brevemente la teoria dei ruoli, prendiamo in esame alcune opere sociologiche che paiono particolarmente utili per formulare una risposta. La nostra analisi si concentra soprattutto sui lavori di Walter Benjamin, Anthony Giddens, Zygmunt Bauman e Giampaolo Nuvolati, assunti come casi paradigmatici di quattro possibili prospettive

Workers and automata : a sociological analysis of the Italian case

The aim of this investigation is to determine if there is a relation between automation and unemployment within the Italian socio-economic system. Italy is Europe’s second nation and the fourth in the world in terms of robot density, and among the G7 it is the nation with the highest rate of youth unemployment. Establishing the ultimate causes of unemployment is a very difficult task, and the notion itself of ‘technological unemployment’ is controversial. Mainstream economics tends to relate the high rate of unemployment that characterises Italian society with the low flexibility of the labour market and the high cost of manpower. Little attention is paid to the impact of artificial intelligence on the level of employment. With reference to statistical data, we will try to show that automation can be seen at least as a contributory cause of unemployment. In addition, we will argue that both Luddism and anti-Luddism are two faces of the same coin. In both cases attention is focused on technology itself (the means of production) instead of on the system (the mode of production). Banning robots or denying the problems of robotisation are not effective solutions. A better approach would consist in combining growing automation with a more rational redistribution of income