Advanced technologies and future transhumanistic societies

Napredne tehnologije in transhumanistične družbe prihodnosti

Course credits:

6.00 ECTS / 60 (30 hours of lectures, 4 hours of exercises, 26 hours of seminars, 0 hours other forms of work)

Course holder:

prof. dr. Franc Mali

Lecturers:

• Tch. Asst. Maruška Nardoni

Type:

Elective expert

Language:

Slovenian

Semester:

Second semester

Study degree

1. level

Course execution:

• Undergraduate Programme of Cultural studies - Studies of Culture and Creativity

Short content

As part of the course curriculum, the following key topics will be presented: (1) critical-analytical approaches for the evaluation of new, transformative sciences and technologies; (2) the presentation of new sciences and technologies that enable the enhancement of human mental and physical capabilities and determine the framework for discussing future transhuman societies; (3) key (social) factors in the production of imaginaries on future transhuman societies (media, politics, civil society and the public, a variety of artistic practices, fiction, etc.); (3) expert and wider societal assessment of the implications, benefits and risks of developments in new sciences and technologies; (4) values and ethical postulates of opponents and proponents of the use of precuationary principles in the advancement of new sciences and technologies (precautionary principles versus proactionary principles); (5) transhumanism, posthumanism and speculative ethics; (6) the ethical, legal and societal implications of the development of transformative technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and their impacts on employment, organizations and interpersonal relationships; (7) the role, perception and (re)shaping of animals and the natural world in transhuman societies; (8) changes in human and social self-perception, objectives, values and imparting meaning to the world; (9) cultural and artistic practices that provocatively explore the relationship between humans, technology and nature; (10) scenarios of potential long-term developmental path of humanity (trans- or posthuman society, the theory of singularity, human-machine symbiosis).