Humans! Collectively rational or socially stupid?

How is it possible to be rational as an individual but collectively stupid? How can Facebook “likes” be dangerous? Is science fiction and robotics relevant to social skills? Is information in excess a key to clarity or confusion?

Humans are inherently social. We communicate, coordinate, collaborate, compete, love, hate, understand each other and often enough misunderstand each other. What kind of cognitive skills are needed for social behaviour? Often we are able to navigate socially in a seemingly effortless and efficient way. However, we often risk making grievous mistakes in our social reasoning with severe consequences for ourselves and society. A “bubble” is not only a term reserved for finance or real estate markets – there are opinion bubbles on the web, filter bubbles, fashion bubbles, status bubbles even science bubbles. Bubbles stem from aggregating and amplifying irrational group behavior. The talk addresses how reasoning in social contexts easily may become so complex resulting in collective catastrophe, and point to some of the common pitfalls in human social reasoning. Vincent will do the bubbles of human behavior. Thomas will make robots and other artificial intelligence systems socially intelligent.

Afterwards, chilled cocktails and RAMSES, playing compositions by Rasmus Lund Kjærgård which explore the boundary between structure and improvisation. The line up is Erik Kimestad Pedersen (trumpet), Mads Lund Egetoft (tenor sax), Rasmus Kjærgård Lund (tuba) and Matias Wolf Andreasen (drums).

Entrance to the event is free. No registration is necessary. Doors open at 19:30.
Byens lys, Christiania, 8. oktober

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