The paper argues that Spinoza is influenced by epicureanism. This is evident particularly in the conflict between authority—understood as the kind of figure that is impervious to argumentation—and the calculation of utility (phronesis) that is the precondition of action. This conflict is complex because in certain circumstances we may calculate that it is to our utility to allow a person in authority to calculate on our behalf.
The paper indicates, in addition, that the way Spinoza constructs the relation between authority and utility can inform our political predicament today. Spinoza may offer an alternative to populism as to why we have political figures who lack authority. And his thinking on utility could help us reconsider instrumentality in the neoliberal age.
Dimitris Vardoulakis is the debuty chair of Philosophy at Western Sydney University. He is the author of The Doppelgänger: Literature’s Philosophy (2010), Sovereignty and its Other: Toward the Dejustification of Violence (2013), Freedom from the Free Will: On Kafka’s Laughter (2016), and Stasis Before the State: Nine Theses on Agonistic Democracy (2018). He has also edited or co-edited numerous books, including Spinoza Now (2011) and Spinoza’s Authority (2018). He is the director of “Thinking Out Loud: The Sydney Lectures in Philosophy and Society,” and the co-editor of the book series “Incitements” (Edinburgh University Press).
Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
“The Structure of Olfactory Appearance”
Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
“Persons, First-Person Authority, and Self-Knowledge”
Philosophy and the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness
New York University
“Content Plurality in Mental Action”
Philosophy, Central European University and
Visiting Scholar, CUNY Graduate Center
“On the Nature of Representational Relation in the
Higher-Order Thought Theory: Extrinsicality,
Directness and Transitivity”
Philosophy, City College of New York, CUNY
“Transparency and Cognitive Phenomenology”
**NOTE DIFFERENT ROOM THIS ONE DAY: 9-206**
Music, CUNY Graduate Center
“Graphical Representations of Timbre Similarity:
Problems and Prospects”
Psychology and the Center for Neural Science,
New York University
“The Dynamics of Temporal Attention”
November 23: No talk—Thanksgiving
Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
“The Structure of Olfactory Appearance”
Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
“Persons, First-Person Authority, and Self-Knowledge”
Philosophy and the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness
New York University
“Content Plurality in Mental Action”
Philosophy, Central European University and
Visiting Scholar, CUNY Graduate Center
“On the Nature of Representational Relation in the
Higher-Order Thought Theory: Extrinsicality,
Directness and Transitivity”
Philosophy, City College of New York, CUNY
“Transparency and Cognitive Phenomenology”
**NOTE DIFFERENT ROOM THIS ONE DAY: 9-206**
Music, CUNY Graduate Center
“Graphical Representations of Timbre Similarity:
Problems and Prospects”
Psychology and the Center for Neural Science,
New York University
“The Dynamics of Temporal Attention”
November 23: No talk—Thanksgiving
Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
“The Structure of Olfactory Appearance”
Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
“Persons, First-Person Authority, and Self-Knowledge”
Philosophy and the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness
New York University
“Content Plurality in Mental Action”
Philosophy, Central European University and
Visiting Scholar, CUNY Graduate Center
“On the Nature of Representational Relation in the
Higher-Order Thought Theory: Extrinsicality,
Directness and Transitivity”
Philosophy, City College of New York, CUNY
“Transparency and Cognitive Phenomenology”
**NOTE DIFFERENT ROOM THIS ONE DAY: 9-206**
Music, CUNY Graduate Center
“Graphical Representations of Timbre Similarity:
Problems and Prospects”
Psychology and the Center for Neural Science,
New York University
“The Dynamics of Temporal Attention”
November 23: No talk—Thanksgiving
Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
“The Structure of Olfactory Appearance”
Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
“Persons, First-Person Authority, and Self-Knowledge”
Philosophy and the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness
New York University
“Content Plurality in Mental Action”
Philosophy, Central European University and
Visiting Scholar, CUNY Graduate Center
“On the Nature of Representational Relation in the
Higher-Order Thought Theory: Extrinsicality,
Directness and Transitivity”
Philosophy, City College of New York, CUNY
“Transparency and Cognitive Phenomenology”
**NOTE DIFFERENT ROOM THIS ONE DAY: 9-206**
Music, CUNY Graduate Center
“Graphical Representations of Timbre Similarity:
Problems and Prospects”
Psychology and the Center for Neural Science,
New York University
“The Dynamics of Temporal Attention”
November 23: No talk—Thanksgiving
Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
“The Structure of Olfactory Appearance”
Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
“Persons, First-Person Authority, and Self-Knowledge”
Philosophy and the Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness
New York University
“Content Plurality in Mental Action”
Philosophy, Central European University and
Visiting Scholar, CUNY Graduate Center
“On the Nature of Representational Relation in the
Higher-Order Thought Theory: Extrinsicality,
Directness and Transitivity”
Philosophy, City College of New York, CUNY
“Transparency and Cognitive Phenomenology”
**NOTE DIFFERENT ROOM THIS ONE DAY: 9-206**
Music, CUNY Graduate Center
“Graphical Representations of Timbre Similarity:
Problems and Prospects”
Psychology and the Center for Neural Science,
New York University
“The Dynamics of Temporal Attention”
November 23: No talk—Thanksgiving
Einstein once remarked, “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” Indeed, discovering the true nature of reality may ultimately hinge on grasping the nature and essence of human understanding. What are the fundamental elements or building blocks of human understanding? And how will superintelligent machines challenge our ideas about cognition, reality, and the limits of human understanding?
The 21st century has seen rapid advancements in the realm of artificial intelligence, or AI, which aims to generate a synthetic capacity to mimic and even surpass human knowledge. But beyond the creation of programs that detect statistical patterns in vast data sets, it remains to be seen whether AI can formalize the basic elements of human understanding into a system of rules that could then be applied in computer programs. Such “knowledge engineering” would constitute a significant breakthrough, enabling machines to share some of our cognitive abilities rather than merely imitating the results of our thinking. These advancements in AI may ultimately force us to confront more profound questions about what it means to be human.
Logician/mathematician Roger Antonsen and computer science pioneer Barbara J. Grosz join Steve Paulson to break down the fundamental elements of human understanding and analyze what lies ahead on the horizon of AI.
*Reception to follow
This event is part of the Conversations on the Nature of Reality series.
Moderated by journalist Steve Paulson, Executive Producer of Wisconsin Public Radio’s To the Best of Our Knowledge, this three-part series at the New York Academy of Sciences brings together leading scientists and thinkers to explore the fundamental nature of reality through the lens of personal experience and scientific inquiry.
To learn more about each lecture and to purchase tickets, click on the links below.
- The Mystery of Our Mathematical Universe, Wednesday, October 10, 2018
- Human Cognition and the AI Revolution, Thursday, December 6, 2018
- Reality is Not As it Seems, Thursday, February 7, 2019
Spring 2019
2/15: Andrew Lee, Philosophy, New York University
2/22: William Robinson, Philosophy, Iowa State University
3/1: Wesley Sauret, Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
3/8: Jean-Paul Noel, Center for Neural Science, New York University
3/15: Santiago Echeverri, Philosophy, New York University
3/22: TBA
3/29: TBA
4/5: No Cognitive Science talk: CUNY Graduate-Student Conference https://2019cunyphilosophyconference.weebly.com/
4/12: TBA
4/19, 4/26: No talks; Spring Break
5/3: TBA
Additional information at:
http://bit.ly/cscitalks or e-mail David Rosenthal <davidrosenthal1@gmail.com>
Spring 2019
2/15: Andrew Lee, Philosophy, New York University
2/22: William Robinson, Philosophy, Iowa State University
3/1: Wesley Sauret, Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
3/8: Jean-Paul Noel, Center for Neural Science, New York University
3/15: Santiago Echeverri, Philosophy, New York University
3/22: TBA
3/29: TBA
4/5: No Cognitive Science talk: CUNY Graduate-Student Conference https://2019cunyphilosophyconference.weebly.com/
4/12: TBA
4/19, 4/26: No talks; Spring Break
5/3: TBA
Additional information at:
http://bit.ly/cscitalks or e-mail David Rosenthal <davidrosenthal1@gmail.com>
Spring 2019
2/15: Andrew Lee, Philosophy, New York University
2/22: William Robinson, Philosophy, Iowa State University
3/1: Wesley Sauret, Philosophy, University of Bayreuth
3/8: Jean-Paul Noel, Center for Neural Science, New York University
3/15: Santiago Echeverri, Philosophy, New York University
3/22: TBA
3/29: TBA
4/5: No Cognitive Science talk: CUNY Graduate-Student Conference https://2019cunyphilosophyconference.weebly.com/
4/12: TBA
4/19, 4/26: No talks; Spring Break
5/3: TBA
Additional information at:
http://bit.ly/cscitalks or e-mail David Rosenthal <davidrosenthal1@gmail.com>