Philosophy Seminars - Digital Technologies, Critique and Society
"Return to Plato's Cave: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Future of Political Systems"
Speaker: H. Akın Ünver
Moderator: Emre Şan
This talk will assess the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data on political systems in light of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. It will focus on whether these technologies will completely eliminate political systems or lead to their radical transformation. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave describes a world in which individuals perceive reality only through shadows. Today, AI and big data are redefining political realities and have the potential to radically alter individuals' participation in political life and the meaning of such participation. In this context, Thomas Hobbes' concept of the Leviathan will be examined to understand how AI functions as the new face of modern centralized authority. As AI strengthens central control over political systems, how does it transform the social contract necessary for these systems to survive? Or is this new Leviathan eroding the functionality of political systems, making them obsolete? These questions will be deepened through Michel Foucault's concepts of biopolitics and surveillance. As Foucault examined how power operates on individuals through disciplinary mechanisms and how lives are governed, we will discuss how new surveillance regimes created by AI and big data impact political systems. The ability of these technologies to monitor and control citizens' behavior and decisions raises questions about the very existence of political systems. In this context, are political systems becoming more effective through AI, or are these surveillance mechanisms making them unnecessary? Finally, Hannah Arendt’s understanding of the public sphere and action will provide a critical framework for evaluating the impact of AI and big data on political participation. By highlighting Arendt's emphasis on action as the foundation of political life, we will question how AI transforms the public sphere and individuals' political actions. Does AI weaken individuals' activity in the public sphere, rendering political systems meaningless, or does political participation take on a new dimension through these technologies? This talk will explore, through the lens of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, whether political systems are becoming unnecessary or will undergo a radical transformation in the face of AI and big data, through the philosophical perspectives of Hobbes, Foucault, and Arendt.
H. Akın Ünver is an associate professor of International Relations at Özyeğin University. Dr. Unver's research focuses on the effects of emerging technologies on political violence, international competition and diplomacy. He is a member of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Digital Democracy Network, which is a global scientific community of leading scholars of technology and politics. Previously, he served as a social science fellow at Britain's national data science laboratory Alan Turing Institute, Oxford University's Center for Technology and Global Affairs, social sciences mentor at Oxford University's Cyber Security Doctoral Training Program, Jean-Monnet fellow at the University of Michigan, and the Ertegun Chair of Middle Eastern Studies at Princeton University. Prof. Ünver is the coordinator and director of the Summer Institute in Computational Social Science (SICSS) Istanbul, the oldest and longest-running social data science summer training program in Turkey. Prof. Ünver has received a number of commendations, including the Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist Award (GEBIP), The Science Academy: Emerging Scientist Award (BAGEP), Oxford University 'Best Cybersecurity Research' award, Alan Turing Institute 'New Frontiers in Social Sciences Research' award and Middle East Studies Association's (MESA) Malcolm H. Kerr 'Best Doctoral Dissertation in the Field of Social Science' award. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Essex and is currently a Governing Council Member of the International Studies Association (ISA).
* The seminar will be held in Turkish. To attend this seminar, you can create your registration by using the "Register" button on the page and receive your free event invitation. Registrations will open 1 week before the event date (06.02.2025, at 18:30) and the "Register" button will become visible. Participation is limited to a quota of 110 people.
** Participants who have completed the event registration and received their invitation are kindly requested to be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the event. The doors will be closed at the event starting time.