International Symposium
The University of Sydney
Beyond anthropomorphism: Rethinking human-machine relations in robotics and A.I.
Tuesday June 11 and Wednesday June 12
The Beyond Anthropomorphism symposium challenges the popular expectation that the perfect future robot will be indistinguishable from, or superior to humans, or that humans will be perfectible through technology. Drawing on the latest research in engineering, social sciences and humanities, this event will evaluate the current state-of-the art against these fantastic visions. AI, robotics and social robotics were founded on the metaphors of the thinker, the labourer and, most recently, the companion. This symposium will explore where these metaphors are productive, and where they are misleading to provide a more grounded understanding of the likely futures for these exciting and terrifying technologies.
This symposium is organised by the University of Sydney Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems SIRIS (previously Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems), in collaboration with the Sociotechnical Futures Lab (STuF) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the University of Sydney Business School.
*This program is a draft and it is current at the time of publishing. Further changes and updates will follow.
Co-hosted by Sydney Ideas at SSB Lecture Theatre 200 Social Sciences Building
6pm: Opening by Ian Manchester, Associate Director, Sydney Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (previously Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems)
Chair: Naoko Abe & Chris Chesher
6.10pm: Minoru Asada (Osaka University, Japan)
Watch an introduction to How to Design Artificial Moral Agents Towards a Symbiotic Society here
6.30pm: Raya Jones (Cardiff University, UK)
Watch an introduction to Anthropomorphism as a Dialogue with Ourselves here
6.50pm: Discussion and Q&A
7.30pm: End of Day 1
Wednesday 12 June 2019
Lecture Theatre 1130 Abercrombie Business School Building
9am: Registration
SESSION 1
9.30am: Laurence Devillers (Sorbonne University/CNRS, France)
Watch an introduction to Bad Nudge Bad Robot: Ethical Issues here
Chair: Naoko Abe
10.20: Coffee Break
SESSION 2
Chair: Kai Riemer
10.40am: Mike Seymour (University of Sydney, Australia)
The Arms Race of Faces: AI, Agency and Identity
11.10am: Chris Chesher & Fiona Andreallo (University of Sydney, Australia)
Eye, vision and gaze in science fiction and social robotics
11.40am: Katsumi Watanabe (Waseda University, Japan, University of New South Wales, Australia)
Agency, experience, and social interactions in cognitive scientific views
12.10pm: Lunch
SESSION 3
Chair: Justine Humphry
1.10pm: Naoko Abe (University of Sydney, Australia)
Generating anthropomorphic motion and sociological perspective
1.40pm: Simon Coghlan, Lucy Sparrow, Martin Gibbs, Jenny Waycott (University of Melbourne, Australia)
The human touch: Ethical dimensions of care robots made “in our image”
2.10pm: Yolande Strengers (Monash University, Australia) & Jenny Kennedy (RMIT University, Australia)
Turn me on, turn me off
2.20pm Coffee Break
SESSION 4
Chair: Jolynna Sinanan
2.40pm: Yuji Sone (Macquarie University, Australia)
Hiroshi Ishiguro’s android science: The fabulation of “upstream engagement” and entertainment
3.10pm: Jason Tuckwell (Western Sydney University, Australia)
Technē, agency and computation
3.30pm: Ed Santow (Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia)
Of AI, horses and jockeys: Re-negotiating our relationship with machines in the era of AI
4pm: Toby Walsh (University of New South Wales, Australia)
Artificial and Natural Minds
4.30pm Break
SESSION 5
Chair: Chris Chesher
4.40pm: Panel discussion
5.40: End of Day 2
