James Boyle, "The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood" (MIT Press, 2024)
Jan 27, 2025
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In this engaging conversation, James Boyle, William Neal Reynolds professor at Duke Law School and author of 'The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood,' delves into the intricate relationship between AI and personhood. He examines the philosophical and ethical dilemmas posed by machine consciousness and our evolving identity. The dialogue also touches on the colonial implications of language in shaping perceptions of AI, the moral responsibilities toward non-human creations, and the pressing need to redefine personhood in the digital era.
The podcast discusses the ethical and philosophical implications of AI, particularly regarding consciousness and the rights of non-human entities.
James Boyle emphasizes the importance of integrating humanistic perspectives in scientific advancements, highlighting the role of decolonial approaches in understanding technology.
The conversation references popular media representations of AI to illustrate societal perceptions and challenges surrounding the concept of personhood in a tech-dominated world.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Traditional Work Platforms
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The Appeal of Monday.com
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The Role of American Express Business Platinum
The American Express Business Platinum card offers significant rewards for businesses, particularly for travel-related expenditures. Cardholders can earn five times membership rewards points on flights and prepaid hotel bookings made through American Express Travel, incentivizing business travel. Additionally, a substantial welcome offer of 150,000 points provides further motivation for businesses to utilize the card. This program aims to enhance business operations by rewarding strategic spending.
Innovative Hiring Solutions by Indeed
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Perspectives on AI and Personhood
The discussion around AI and personhood raises complex philosophical and ethical questions that blur the lines between technology and human identity. The emergence of machine learning and powerful artificial intelligence introduces dilemmas about consciousness, rights, and moral considerations for non-human entities. These discussions often refer to popular media, such as films that explore human-like AI, in order to examine societal perceptions of what it means to be a sentient being. The conversation emphasizes the necessity for a deeper understanding of humanity's relationship with technology and the responsibilities that accompany AI development.
This is the first of two episodes about The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood. The second, in Spanish, will appear on the New Books Network en español. The series is sponsored by the Encuentros descoloniales focal group at Instituto Nuevos Horizontes at UPRM, a group of scholars who consider how decolonial approaches can provide nuance in scientific knowledge.
This episode and the Instituto Nuevos Horizontes at the UPRM have been supported by the Mellon Foundation. The conversation is part of the “STEM to STEAM” project of the “Cornerstone” initiative, sponsored by the Teagle Foundation, which stresses the importance of integrating humanistic perspectives in the sciences.
The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood is available online for free through the MIT website per the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License.