Tracks
Devices that Alter Perception
Track Chairs: Jonathan BIRD & Yvonne ROGERS
Devices such as implants, wearable computers, sensory substitution systems and neural interfaces change the way that a user perceives the world. This interdisciplinary track focuses on systems whose purpose is to alter a user's perception by extending their senses or body. The goals are to: (1) better understand the role played by sensory and bodily extension devices in the process of perception; (2) facilitate the development of extension devices by sharing designs; and (3) consider how empirical experiments with sensory and bodily extension devices can further philosophical and psychological enquiry into perception and cognition. Participants can submit papers and/or demonstrate devices and we welcome submissions from a broad range of disciplines: philosophy; psychology; HCI; engineering; and the arts.
Intercultural Information Ethics
Track Chair: Soraj HONGLADAROM
As the information and communication technologies are spreading all over the globe, there is a concern over how the technologies have created ethical problems that are related to cultures. The track will continue what has been done in previous CAP conferences in searching for the multifaceted ramifications resulting from the interaction between the technologies and cultures, especially, but not limited to ethical ones. For example, papers might seek to investigate how ethical problems arising from the technologies could be justified through various strands of Asian philosophies, whether there are any problems unique to Asia, or they might examine the problem of universality of logic across cultures. Papers dealing with other topics but falling within the broad theme of the track will be considered too.
Cognitive Philosophy
Track Chair: Kayoko ISHII
Human beings are highly social animals. Faculties to evaluate social phenomena should have largely influenced the evolution of their cognitive systems and vice versa. In actual societies, however, there are so many and diverse factors and interactions of factors to be taken into account. Moreover, the strength and significance of interactions may occasionally change according to time and contexts. Social members have to cope with these dynamics. It seems impossible to consider every possibility. Indeed human beings do not. What makes human heuristics possible? It is expected in this track that participants from different disciplines tackle this question together. Now we know that there is cognitive diversity among social members. Some may feel comfortable at rationalizing the world. Others may be rather astute in emotional maneuver. The future of facilitating methods would be also discussed so that different members of a society can be entrained in the symbiosis at any rate and keep the society going on.
Privacy and Technology
Track Chair: Shin'Ichi KONOMI
Computing technologies are increasingly used in our everyday life, making it possible to unobtrusively capture, store, integrate, copy, and use detailed personal information. In the past several years, the online world has changed with the rise of blogs, social networking sites, and other Web 2.0 services, the physical world has also changed with the increased uses of surveillance cameras, GPS receivers, RFID tags/readers, and networked wireless sensors. Moreover, cars and pedestrians can now use in-vehicle devices or mobile phones to capture data that can cause real privacy concerns (cf. Google Street View). Technology and Privacy Track provides a forum for sharing ideas to better understand today's privacy problems in relation to new and traditional information technologies and practices, to critique existing privacy-enhancing technologies, and to propose design guidelines and solutions for a sociotechnical infrastructure of the future.
Social Construction of the Self
Track Chair: Ken MOGI
The self is a phenomenologically salient and functionally important aspect of human cognition. The discovery of the mirror neurons (i.e., cells in the prefrontal cortex representing actions of the self and others) has added a new and important dimension to the empirical investigation into this fundamental aspect of existence. Findings in cognitive neuroscience have revealed how the self is constructed through the interaction with others. The self is a socially constructed, embodied phenomenon. Various aspects of cognition, e.g., active vision, sensori-motor coordination, perception of time, body image, emotion, and memory, make sense only in reference to the self. Here experts from neuroscience, philosophy, artificial life, physics and other fields discuss the newly emerging science of the self. The session will be empirically based while trying to be theoretically enterprising at the same time.
Hybrid Culture
Track Chair: Tomoe MORIYAMA
During the course of the past centuries, human knowledge and culture slowly crystallized into more or less separated disciplines (engineering, medicine, science, arts, etc). Today, these boundaries seem to be rapidly blurring to give rise to new, hybridized, interdisciplinary "cultures" (of which "media arts" may be just one example). The Hybrid Culture track will specially focus on the analysis of today's creative chaos and on new approaches to our perception for realizing the externalization of structural knowledge—through theoretical discussions or concrete examples. In a word: we expect your unique vision for a paradigm shift of art and technologies, science and media.
Roboethics
Track Chair: Jorge SOLIS
Nowadays with recent technological breakdowns in developing human-like robots, medical robots, etc.; it is possible to conceive intelligent machines which can autonomously perform specific tasks. More recently, the introduction of personal robots designed to coexist with humans is becoming closer to the reality. Therefore, new challenges are seen in introducing robots to other applications fields out of the industry. The goals of the track are to: (1) understand the ethical, social and legal aspects of the design, development and employment of robots (2) engaging in a critical analysis of the social implications of robots (3) increase the convergence of roboticists, computer scientists, philosophers, etc.
Transhumanism
Track Chair: Ryo UEHARA
This track aims to clarify and examine the radical idea of "Transhumanism" from technological, social, historical, cultural, ethical and philosophical aspects. Transhumanism is an emerging claim like the following. Many kinds of science and technology will develop quickly in the near future, including neuroscience, biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, or the convergent technology of these disciplines. These technological developments will enable us to enhance or extend our human traits and capabilities, for example, perceptions, emotions, intelligence, and longevity. Then, through technological enhancement, we could and ought to transcend our current human conditions to beings that are "more than human." It does not seem, however, so clear exactly what Transhumanism claims in theoretical senses. So, this track will deal with the topics like: prediction on the development of technologies relevant to Transhumanism; ethical impacts of technological enhancement in general; philosophical foundations of Transhumanism, such as the theory of value, or philosophy of mind.
∀ - The Proceedings of AP-CAP 2009 is now freely available for download.
∃ - Members of the press: please see the conference Press Release.