Towards an automated (anti-)utopia? A critical reflection of the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Towards an automated (anti-)utopia? A critical reflection of the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Towards an automated (anti-)utopia? A critical reflection of the contemporary discourses on automation by Philipp Frey Whats the subject? My dissertation: Research interest Theoretical Framework Structure Relation


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Towards an automated (anti-)utopia?

A critical reflection of the contemporary discourses on automation by Philipp Frey

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What’s the subject?

 My dissertation:

 Research interest  Theoretical Framework  Structure

 Relation of research to TA?

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Who am I doing research with?

 Member of ITAS-project “Visions as socio-epistemic practices”  Member of ITAS-project “Work and Technology”  Member of ITAS working group “Robotics TA”

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What’s my research interest?

What sociotechnical futures dominate the contemporary discourse on technological unemployment and what is missing from this discourse?

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What’s my research interest?

What sociotechnical futures dominate the contemporary discourse on technological unemployment and what is missing from this discourse?

 Socioeconomic effect != specific technology  Variety of technologies are mentioned (Robotics, AI, electric engines)

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What’s my research interest?

What sociotechnical futures dominate the contemporary discourse on technological unemployment and what is missing from this discourse?

 No original modelling  Various actors (both sides of the industry, policy makers, public)  Heated discussion  Great interest in TA-expertise

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What’s my research interest?

What sociotechnical futures dominate the contemporary discourse on technological unemployment and what is missing from this discourse?

 Increased focus on sociotechnical futures in public / scientific debate  NEST (e.g. Nanotechnology)  crisis of consequentialist modes of

  • rientation

 Vision Assessment as enlightenment of today’s discourse and society

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What’s my research interest?

What sociotechnical futures dominate the contemporary discourse on technological unemployment and what is missing from this discourse?

 Preliminary research: focus almost exclusively an economic growth/world market competition  Something is missing in the debate  Create awareness for societal alternatives

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What’s the theoretical background?

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What’s the theoretical background?

 (Western) Marxism

 The early Frankfurt School (Adorno, Marcuse, Benjamin)

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What’s the theoretical background?

 (Western) Marxism

 The early Frankfurt School (Adorno, Marcuse, Benjamin)  Critical Theory of Technology (Feenberg, Fuchs, Postone)

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What’s the theoretical background?

 (Western) Marxism

 The early Frankfurt School (Adorno, Marcuse, Benjamin)  Critical Theory of Technology (Feenberg, Fuchs, Postone)

 Technology Assessment

 Vision Assessment  Work and Technology  Methodology

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What’s the structure of my dissertation?

 Overview over the scientific discussion (~20 pages)  Analysis: The discourse on technological unemployment (~70 pages)  Theoretical discussion: Automation and its societal implications (~70 pages)

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What’s the structure of my dissertation?

 Overview over the scientific discussion (~20 pages)

 Set the stage and provide an information basis  Instructive for the discourse analysis  What types of studies are there?  Focus question: Prognosis or exploration of potentials?

“... What can merely be expected is itself a piece of societal activity, and is incommensurable with the goal of criticism.” (Adorno on Sociology

and Empirical Research)

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What’s the structure of my dissertation?

 Analysis: The discourse on technological unemployment (~70 pages)

 Trade Unions, Employers’ association, Policy makers, selected media  International comparison (US/Germany)  Reconstruct the sociotechnical futures dominating the discourse and reflect them critically

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What’s the structure of my dissertation?

 Theoretical discussion: Automation and its societal implications (~70 pages)

 Contribute to a better understanding of the roots of technological unemployment and of its societal implications  (Re-)construct tacit alternatives to the dominant sociotechnical futures  Develop said alternatives further by criticizing them

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How do I relate my research to TA?

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How do I relate my research to TA?

 Case study for vision assessment on a hot-topic issue

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How do I relate my research to TA?

 Case study for vision assessment on a hot-topic issue  Connect ongoing discussions with critical social philosophy

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How do I relate my research to TA?

 Case study for vision assessment on a hot-topic issue  Connect ongoing discussions with critical social philosophy  Help enlighten the discussion by reflecting hidden anticipatory assumptions, political, cultural content etc. of sociotechnical futures

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How do I relate my research to TA?

 Case study for vision assessment on a hot-topic issue  Connect ongoing discussions with critical social philosophy  Help enlighten the discussion by reflecting hidden anticipatory assumptions, political, cultural content etc. of sociotechnical futures  Contribute to the democratic pluralism of the debate by making alternatives visible

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Thank you for your attention!

Please feel free to contact me at philipp.frey@partner.kit.edu