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Philosophy Colloquium with David Danks: "Compensatory Algorithms and the Ethics of Manipulation"

David Danks, a smiling man in a brown sweater, with bookshelves behind him.
Friday, April 21, 2023
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Dr. David Danks
Philosophy Colloquium Series

Please join the Philosophy Department for Dr. David Danks' talk, "Compensatory Algorithms and the Ethics of Manipulation." Dr. Danks is Professor of Data Science and Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego. His research interests include causation, ethics & policy of AI, cognitive science, and philosophy of science.

Abstract: "Compensatory Algorithms and the Ethics of Manipulation"

High-consequence decisions are increasingly being made by humans who are informed or guided by algorithms. We thus need to consider not only the algorithms in isolation, but also how they interact with human decision-makers. In this talk, I will focus on compensatory algorithms: ones that compensate (in some sense) for our cognitive, social, and ethical biases. I will first argue that compensatory algorithms are not an unusual edge case, but rather naturally result from some standard practices in AI. I will then present an ethical analysis of such algorithms, concluding that there are conditions in which they can be deployed ethically even without the (explicit) consent of the user. I will close by connecting these issues to broader concerns about the ethics of manipulation via algorithms.

A reception in the Philosophy lounge will follow the talk and discussion.

To learn more about Dr. Danks, visit his website at https://www.daviddanks.org .

Contact: Rachel Gilbert