Open Minds XVII
Open Minds XVIIWe are happy to announce that the seventeenth edition of the graduate conference Open Minds organised by postgraduate Philosophy researchers at The University of Manchester will be held from 19th to 20th of September, 2024. We are looking forward to exciting talks by MA and PhD researchers, learning from two relevant career workshops, and engaging with this years’ keynote speakers.
Open Minds is a two-day conference which offers graduate students working in all areas of philosophy an opportunity to present their work and receive valuable feedback in a welcoming and friendly environment. With the two parallel workshop streams – Applied Philosophy and Theoretical Philosophy – our goal is to provide a platform for aspiring philosophers at both Master’s and PhD levels to engage in robust discussion on all areas of philosophy. We hope that all speakers and participants at Open Minds XVII will develop valuable skills and working relationships with each other. To this end, we shall host two workshops which will allow students to deepen their understanding of philosophy within and outside academia. One workshop will address academic publishing, whereas the second will address interesting ways philosophers can engage with philosophy publicly.
Open Minds XVII are generously supported by the Society for Applied Philosophy, The Royal Institute of Philosophy, Analysis Trust, Aristotelian Society, and the Department of Philosophy at The University of Manchester.
Date and Location
19-20 September 2024
Department of Philosophy, The University of Manchester
Bridgeford Street
Manchester
United Kingdom
Contact
Mr. Patrick Ben, University of Manchester (patrick.ben@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk)
Website
https://philevents.org/event/show/121162
Keynote Speakers:
Dr Cristina Voinea (University of Oxford)
Title: From Loss to Code: How Griefbots Shape Our Practical Identity
Abstract: Digital doppelgängers are LLM-based conversational agents trained on individuals’ data to mimic their speech style, mannerisms, and personality. These doppelgängers can be used for a range of relational purposes, many of which remain under-explored in the current literature. This presentation seeks to address this gap by examining the positive and negative effects that relationships with digital doppelgängers can have on users’ identities. I begin by exploring how human-human relationships shape practical identity. I then briefly explain how digital doppelgängers work, distinguishing between task-specific and relational doppelgängers. Following this, I consider the positive and negative implications of digital doppelgängers on individuals’ practical identity, before drawing out general lessons on mitigating the risks associated with these technologies. On the positive side, digital doppelgängers could help individuals make their practical identity more coherent following a significant loss and assist in maintaining the continuity of values and commitments central to their identity. On the negative side, however, these doppelgängers could foster emotional dependency, potentially preventing people from revising their practical identity after a loss, and could be used for manipulation, steering users’ identities in directions that may not align with their interests. Whether the impact of digital doppelgängers on users’ practical identity is beneficial or harmful largely depends on their design. Ultimately, I argue that through thoughtful design interventions, digital doppelgängers can be developed to maximize benefits while minimizing risks.
Dr Raamy Majeed (University of Manchester)
Title: Is there a Science of Longterm Emotions?
Abstract: Emotions in scientific research are typically portrayed as short-lived responses or dispositions to manifest such responses. Some philosophers have argued that this fails to capture longterm emotions (e.g., love, hate, and grief). This paper examines whether the emerging field of affect dynamics (or emotion dynamics), which studies how emotions fluctuate over time, can address the philosophical critique. I argue that there are still aspects of longterm emotion missing from affect dynamics. I end by proposing a few positive steps those working in the field can take to address these concerns.
Workshops
Dr Frederique Janssen-Lauret
Title: Demystifying publication
Dr Leonie Smith:
Title: Being a Philosopher Outside of The Academic Journal
Accessibility information
Physical access: The venue for the event is accessible, but please contact the organisers if you have any specific questions or needs relating to access. We are happy to provide detailed routes and photos of the venue in advance to help with planning your trip and will do what we can to facilitate specific access requests advised in advance. For more information on venue accessibility, including parking information for blue badge holders, please visit the UoM website: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/jobs/disabled-applicants/travel-and-accessibility/.
General
The organising committee are committed to providing a supportive and welcoming environment at this and each future workshop. Anyone is free to leave the conference room at any time for any reason. If you have any other access requirements, in terms of equipment, reading materials, or any other aspect that will help facilitate your attendance and / or ability to present, please let us know by communicating members of the organising committe via openmindsxvii@gmail.com / when registering to attend.
Policy
The philosophy department at The University of Manchester (UoM) subscribes to the BPA/SWIP Good Practice Scheme. All session chairs will be following the UoM philosophy department seminar chairing policy. Details of this, along with The University of Manchester’s good conduct event policy, can be found at the following location:
http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/philosophy/connect/events/events-policy/.