Zapraszamy na wykłady dr Mariji Selak (Uniwersytet w Zagrzebiu)

Zapraszamy na wykłady dr Mariji Selak (Uniwersytet w Zagrzebiu), które odbędą się w
Instytucie Filozofii UW w podanych poniżej terminach:

Wykład 1: Evil as an ontological and a practical problem
In this lecture we will question the notion of evil, as an ontological, but also as a practical
problem. The problem of evil has been in the centre of philosophical thinking since the
beginning of philosophy. What is evil and where does evil in the world come from? Is human
being predestined to act in an evil way (naturally evil) or she can choose what to do? What is
the relation between knowledge and evil? What should be our response (responsibility) to the
(problem of) evil? Can we eliminate evil from the world? Traditionally, in Augustine,
Plotinus and Thomas Aquinas philosophy evil was understood as a problem which arises from
the privation – (necessary) imperfection of the human world. In the Age of Enlightenment
“faith” in progress came in a place of faith in Providence and in the modern process of
secularisation God has been replaced by history. Emancipation of human beings in history
enabled us to open the question of the anthropology of evil and to see evil as a practical
problem. Is human being evil by nature as Machiavelli and Hobbes suggest or civilisation has
corrupted her as Rousseau argues? What are the consequences of the Christian concept of
original sin?

Data: środa, 12 września, 12:00 – 13:30
Miejsce: sala nr 4 (parter)

Wykład 2: Technology as a solution to the problem of evil
Part I: Human (cognitive) enhancement
In the first part of the lecture we will define human enhancement and basic standpoints of
transhumanists and bioconservatists. Transhumanists think that human enhancement
technologies should be made widely available, that individuals should have broad discretion
over which of these technologies to apply to themselves and that parents should have the right
to choose enhancements for their children-to-be. Bioconservatists on the other hand believe
that human enhancement could lead to the “destruction” of human nature, or at least of its
most valuable components and that human enhancement technologies might be
“dehumanizing”. Second part of the lecture will focus on human cognitive enhancement,
expansion of human cognitive capacities: intelligence, memory and attention using
neuropharmacology or genetic modifications. In the concluding part of the lecture we will
raise fundamental philosophical question about the existence of human nature.

Data: środa, 12 września, 13:45 – 15:15
Miejsce: sala nr 4 (parter)

Po wykładach istnieje możliwość indywidualnych konsultacji z dr Selak. Konsultacje
odbywać się będę w Zakładzie Filozofii Kultury, pokój 101 (I piętro) w godzinach: 15:30-
16:30.

Wykład 3: Technology as a solution to the problem of evil
Part II: Mind-less morality
In an attempt to widen perspectives on the problem of moral enhancement, in this lecture we
will open the question of what kind of evil can we eliminate by morally enhancing ourselves
and what kind of evil we still have to live with. What would be regarded as moral
enhancement is if a person “alters herself in a way that may be reasonable be expected to
result in her having morally better future motives, taken in sum, than she would otherwise
have had”. In the second part of the lecture we will compare cognitive and moral
enhancement and open a question is moral enhancement a threat to freedom. In the conclusion
we will introduce the concept of mind-less morality and idea of artificial moral advisor that
starts from the premise that artificial agents and artificial evil are new entities in cyberspace
and therefore there is substantial and important scope, particularly in Computer Ethics, for the
concept of moral agent not necessarily exhibiting free will, mental states or responsibility.

Data: czwartek, 13 września, 10:30 – 12:00
Miejsce: sala 209 (II piętro)

Po wykładzie istnieje możliwość indywidualnych konsultacji z dr Selak. Konsultacje
odbywać się będę w Zakładzie Filozofii Kultury, pokój 101 (I piętro) w godzinach: 12:00-
13:30.

Kontakt: dr Przemysław Bursztyka (pbursztyka@uw.edu.pl)