FBL63: Isabel Millar - Sex, Psychoanalysis, Film, and A.I.
Jul 18, 2022
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Isabel Millar discusses the role of enjoyment and psychoanalysis in AI, focusing on the sexbot and gender. They explore the body's importance, female AI in film, male dominance in AI creation, and what AI reveals about humanity.
Exploring the importance of the body, gender, and sexuality in AI development through psychoanalytic lens.
Emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches and critical thinking in understanding AI's societal impacts.
Deep dives
Exploring the Intersection of Psychoanalysis and Artificial Intelligence
Isabel Miller, a philosopher and psychoanalytical theorist, discusses the neglected role of enjoyment and psychoanalysis in the field of AI in her book. She uses the sex bot as a focal point to delve into gender, sex, and the body's role in revealing deeper questions about humanity. By establishing an understanding of psychoanalysis, the conversation unfolds themes like the importance of the body, the representation of female artificial intelligence in films, and what AI can teach us about ourselves.
Challenges in Theorizing Artificial Intelligence
Miller's book delves into the lack of proper theorization of AI in philosophy and the need for engaging with AI as psychoanalytic subjects. It explores the speculative relationship between fantasy and reality in AI development, emphasizing the importance of addressing theoretical clarifications necessary in understanding AI. The complexity of replicating human intelligence and the intertwining of fantasies and reality in AI development are central themes.
The Intricacies of Enjoyment in Psychoanalysis
The concept of enjoyment, termed 'schwesance' in psychoanalysis, delves into the complexities of incomplete knowledge and forming a consistent self-image through language. Miller explores the two forms of enjoyment - masculine and feminine - highlighting their relevance in AI creation. These forms of enjoyment and their interplay reflect broader societal and political implications, offering a deeper understanding of subjectivity and desires in both human and AI contexts.
Interdisciplinary Reflections on AI and Human Consciousness
Miller emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary approaches and critical thinking in AI development. Addressing how AI can act as a reflection of societal behaviors, psychoanalysis offers insights into human desires, consciousness, and ethical considerations. The discussion extends to linguistic and philosophical updates required to navigate AI's impact on human subjectivity and societal norms, emphasizing the evolving nature of psychoanalytic discourse in response to technological advancements.
This week our guest is philosopher and psychoanalytic theorist, Isabel Millar, who recently released her book, The Psychoanalysis of Artificial Intelligence, in which she explores the much neglected role of enjoyment and psychoanalysis in AI. Throughout the book, she uses the sexbot as a focal point of discussion, which allows her to emphasize the role of gender, sex, and a body as it relates to deeper questions about AI & humanity.
In this conversation we explore the notions of Isabel’s book, first by establishing an understanding of psychoanalysis, then by going through themes such as the importance of a body, the role of the female AI in film and the cultural and philosophical importance of film, the dominance of men in the creation of AI, and ultimately what AI can teach us about ourselves.