Artificial Intelligence in Ancient Rome: Classical Roman Philosophy on Legal Subjectivity
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Talya Ucaryilmaz Deibel
Abstract
Conceiving of technology in its relation to modern society in terms of power imbalances dates back to antiquity. Particularly the understanding that there are ‘instruments’ of ‘instruments’ has its roots in the Aristotelian conception of slavery as a morally unacceptable institution both historically and today. In antiquity, slaves were seen as tools in symbioses: The prosthetic extensions of others, simultaneously persons and things. When we conceive of digital technology as a communicative artefact that is an extension of technological reason we face the same dilemma today. This paper seeks to draw historical connections between cybernetics and slavery around the general question: will AI technology result in a new type of slavery? As such this requires us to rethink the intricate concepts of humanness, subjectivity and sovereignty in Roman philosophy in order to apply them to the contempaorary ethical questions on artificial agents and digitization of technology.
Abstract
Conceiving of technology in its relation to modern society in terms of power imbalances dates back to antiquity. Particularly the understanding that there are ‘instruments’ of ‘instruments’ has its roots in the Aristotelian conception of slavery as a morally unacceptable institution both historically and today. In antiquity, slaves were seen as tools in symbioses: The prosthetic extensions of others, simultaneously persons and things. When we conceive of digital technology as a communicative artefact that is an extension of technological reason we face the same dilemma today. This paper seeks to draw historical connections between cybernetics and slavery around the general question: will AI technology result in a new type of slavery? As such this requires us to rethink the intricate concepts of humanness, subjectivity and sovereignty in Roman philosophy in order to apply them to the contempaorary ethical questions on artificial agents and digitization of technology.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of Contents VII
- Abbreviations XI
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Part I: Introduction
- Women Philosophers on Economics, Technology, Environment and Gender History. Shaping the Future – Rethinking the Past. 1
- The Beginnings: A Retrospective View by a Former Board Member of the IAPh 13
-
Part II: Economics, Technology, Environment
- Economic Theory and Moral Imagination 23
- Ecology and Economy. Feminist Perspectives 35
- Towards a Feminist Theory of Money. Patriarchal Economic Structures, the Aristotelian Concept of Justice and the Intermediacy of Money 45
- Gender Justice and Ecological Issues 57
- Sultana’s Dream: Eco[U]topian and Feminist Intersections 69
- Ontogenealogies of Body-Environments: Perspectives for an Experiential Ontological Shift 81
- Women, Nature and Neocolonial Struggles: Different Perspectives on Indigenous Women’s Position 97
- From Cyberfeminism and Technofeminism to an Ontological and Feminist Technology 109
- The Third Knowledge Dimension: From a Binary System to a Three-limbed Epistemology 119
- Social Machines in a Data-driven World 129
- Smart Feminist Cities: The Case of Barcelona en Comú 137
- User Experience as Enlightenment: User Experience for Women Philosophers’ Presentation 147
- Artificial Intelligence in Ancient Rome: Classical Roman Philosophy on Legal Subjectivity 157
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Part III: History (Non-Western and Western)
- Pursuits of Global Gendered Intellectual History: Stories from India 171
- Yosano Akikoʼs Philosophy and Poetry – Modernization of Japan and Womenʼs Liberation 191
- A Philosophical Defense of Self-Defense: Examining Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’ Reply to Sor Filotea 203
- Le rôle des oeuvres de Rousseau dans les mouvements féministes en Chine moderne 217
- Mind of Nature: Cavendish’s Argument for Panpsychism 235
- First Principles: The Path to Women’s Emancipation in Wollstonecraft’s Rights of Woman 249
- Women’s Access to French Philosophy: A Forgotten History (1880–1924) 261
- Hannah Höch: Notes on Violence and Vulnerability 271
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Part IV: Gender Issues and Feminist Concepts
- Feminist Philosophy and Democracy: The Case of Spain 285
- Gender Equality in Colombia’s Philosophy Programs: Faculty Participation 295
- Teaching Islamic Feminisms in the History of Philosophy in Mexico: A Decolonial and Feminist Effort 323
- From Self-awareness to Political and Social Improvement: A Feminist Identitarian Path 335
- “Je me révolte, donc nous sommes”: Reconceptualizing Contemporary Refugee Resistances through the Butlerian Reconstruction of Hannah Arendt’s Public Sphere 347
- Covid-19 and “Stay at Home”: A Contrast Dye That Highlights Gender Violence and the Violence of Inequity 361
- A New-old Topos for the Future. Rethinking and Rediscovering Oneself as Human 371
- Contributors to This Volume 381
- Index of Names 389
- Index of Subjects 393
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of Contents VII
- Abbreviations XI
-
Part I: Introduction
- Women Philosophers on Economics, Technology, Environment and Gender History. Shaping the Future – Rethinking the Past. 1
- The Beginnings: A Retrospective View by a Former Board Member of the IAPh 13
-
Part II: Economics, Technology, Environment
- Economic Theory and Moral Imagination 23
- Ecology and Economy. Feminist Perspectives 35
- Towards a Feminist Theory of Money. Patriarchal Economic Structures, the Aristotelian Concept of Justice and the Intermediacy of Money 45
- Gender Justice and Ecological Issues 57
- Sultana’s Dream: Eco[U]topian and Feminist Intersections 69
- Ontogenealogies of Body-Environments: Perspectives for an Experiential Ontological Shift 81
- Women, Nature and Neocolonial Struggles: Different Perspectives on Indigenous Women’s Position 97
- From Cyberfeminism and Technofeminism to an Ontological and Feminist Technology 109
- The Third Knowledge Dimension: From a Binary System to a Three-limbed Epistemology 119
- Social Machines in a Data-driven World 129
- Smart Feminist Cities: The Case of Barcelona en Comú 137
- User Experience as Enlightenment: User Experience for Women Philosophers’ Presentation 147
- Artificial Intelligence in Ancient Rome: Classical Roman Philosophy on Legal Subjectivity 157
-
Part III: History (Non-Western and Western)
- Pursuits of Global Gendered Intellectual History: Stories from India 171
- Yosano Akikoʼs Philosophy and Poetry – Modernization of Japan and Womenʼs Liberation 191
- A Philosophical Defense of Self-Defense: Examining Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’ Reply to Sor Filotea 203
- Le rôle des oeuvres de Rousseau dans les mouvements féministes en Chine moderne 217
- Mind of Nature: Cavendish’s Argument for Panpsychism 235
- First Principles: The Path to Women’s Emancipation in Wollstonecraft’s Rights of Woman 249
- Women’s Access to French Philosophy: A Forgotten History (1880–1924) 261
- Hannah Höch: Notes on Violence and Vulnerability 271
-
Part IV: Gender Issues and Feminist Concepts
- Feminist Philosophy and Democracy: The Case of Spain 285
- Gender Equality in Colombia’s Philosophy Programs: Faculty Participation 295
- Teaching Islamic Feminisms in the History of Philosophy in Mexico: A Decolonial and Feminist Effort 323
- From Self-awareness to Political and Social Improvement: A Feminist Identitarian Path 335
- “Je me révolte, donc nous sommes”: Reconceptualizing Contemporary Refugee Resistances through the Butlerian Reconstruction of Hannah Arendt’s Public Sphere 347
- Covid-19 and “Stay at Home”: A Contrast Dye That Highlights Gender Violence and the Violence of Inequity 361
- A New-old Topos for the Future. Rethinking and Rediscovering Oneself as Human 371
- Contributors to This Volume 381
- Index of Names 389
- Index of Subjects 393