Aldo Pisano | Università della Calabria (original) (raw)

Papers by Aldo Pisano

Bioetica. Rivista Interdisciplinare , 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing reality and our relationship with it, primarily through ... more Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing reality and our relationship with it, primarily through IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity. Big Tech assemble interdisciplinary teams to develop AI and algorithms, using neurobiological knowledge to harness the dopamine generated by smartphone notifications and fueling addiction to social feedback. This rai- ses significant ethical questions about the use of neurobiological mechanisms to influence human behavior. Ethics is called upon to confront this challenge by rehabilitating the value of the individual in relation to autonomy, increasing awareness of the dangers of neurobiological reductionism, and constructing strategies to reduce digital dependence, especially in the younger generations. In the face of this reductionist trend, the article aims to analyze the value of virtue ethics and self-mastery education (enkràteia) as a useful model for safeguarding the dignity and self-determination of the individual

Ritiri filosofici, 2024

This paper adopts a narrative ethics approach, specifically examining contemporary narratives. It... more This paper adopts a narrative ethics approach, specifically examining contemporary narratives. It aims to explore the performative role of storytelling in shaping the ethical identities of individuals. The analysis will move from the value of empathy and 'negative empathy' as crucial mechanisms for aligning with or distancing from characters. To delve into this process, the paper focuses on characters often labeled as antagonists or villains. Within contemporary narratives, these negative characters play a significant role, often undergoing rehabilitation through the narration of their past stories, marked by conflicts and misery. As viewers, moral agents typically find themselves aligning with the tale of misery, yet they may disapprove the regression, often culminating in immoral actions such as murder. Consequently, evil characters serve as simulations which provide individuals scenarios to train their moral reasoning and judgment.

Ritiri Filosofici, 2024

Aim of this paper is to analyze how building "AI-adressed" environment can compromise complexity ... more Aim of this paper is to analyze how building "AI-adressed" environment can compromise complexity and uncertainty with negative effect on cognitive and ethical development. In the AI era what we need is a to design spaces and rules in order to not arrest or deskill personal abilities. A co-habitation scenario with the AI should respect principles of brain and environment flexibility in order to be human-centered.

Mechane. International Journal of Philosophy and Anthropology of Technology. N.5 "Technology and War", 2023

This paper explores ethical implications of AI use in warfare, focusing on two key issues: respon... more This paper explores ethical implications of AI use in warfare, focusing on two
key issues: responsibility and potential limits to human autonomy. The design of autonomous weapons should prioritize transparency and autonomy in decision-making, especially in morally challenging situations. The automation bias highlights the risks of relying on AI as infallible due to its mathematical programming. This bias undermines human deliberation and violates ethical theories at both the metaethical and normative levels. Starting from the hci model, an ethics by design for AI is necessary, providing support while allowing users to maintain responsibility. Trusting autonomous weapons requires ensuring that autonomy does not compromise human decision-making, preserving the value of ethical choices’ complexity and avoiding the reduction of ethics to mathematical generalizations. Users should have the freedom to disregard AI advice and act according to the situation, thereby assuming responsibility.

Areté. International Journal of Philosophy, Human and Social Sciences, pp. 287-317, 2022

Aim of this paper is to underline the rule of accountability in global and local challenge referr... more Aim of this paper is to underline the rule of accountability in global and local challenge referred to Artificial Intelligence. According to an ethical prospective in projecting and applying AI in different fields, we’ll focus on systemic and individual moral challenges and their connection. Accountability, according to Hans Jonas’ theory has to be extended; and now shared with artificial system that can support humankind in different fields: politics, economics, education. After this first general perspective, we’ll focus on the ethical developments of AI in care relationship, assuming Tronto’s paradigm of care ethics. Specifically, the paper wants to analyze AI limitations in educational relationships.

Filosofi(e) semiotiche, 2023

This paper will focus on social and ethical risks about AI misuse. Starting from the difference b... more This paper will focus on social and ethical risks about AI misuse. Starting from the difference between human and artificial intelligence, we'll focus on computing and narrative thinking. As human species we produce meanings and symbols and this is related to a complex concept of intelligence. As complex moral agents, we continuously create new situations and knowledges not only based on existing data set. That's why complexity theory and narrative thinking comes together in order to underline the difference from machine learning process. So, a fundamental risk is to flat quality of life on quantity of data, narrative thinking on computation. This is also a risk for pluralism and democracy. One possible way to avoid this risk is Education. On the second paragraph, we'll focus on some ideas about new challenges for educators and students in order to promote AI and Ethics literacy in schools.

Ritiri Filosofici, 2023

This paper focuses on the concept of space and how it changes in contemporary world due to introd... more This paper focuses on the concept of space and how it changes in contemporary world due to introduction of Artificial Intelligence. AI can be defined as a "invisible guest" in three different spatial levels: (i) smartphone as individual space; (ii) house as domestic and familiar space; (iii) city as social space of interaction. In all of them we've allowed the introduction of AI systems. Due to this introduction, we're modeling the private and public spaces in order to adapt them to AI. This threats not only privacy as a value, but complexity too.

Ritiri Filosofici, 2023

Mechane, 2, Mimesis Edizioni, 2021

The aim of this paper is to analyze the concept of memory from an ethical perspective and in rela... more The aim of this paper is to analyze the concept of memory from an ethical perspective and in relation to AI e and Big Data. So, we'll focus on a basical difference between "factual" memory and "value" memory: the first one linked to the "quantity" of episodes, the second one to the "quality" of episodes collected by the subject. In the first case, we're close to machines' cognitive structure, in the second case we're close to human's cognitive structure. According to the ethical perspective, it is more important the role of "quality" criterion than the "quantity" one. This applies both to individual and collective memory. If we assume the memory's paradigma as a simple collection of data, this have critical implications in ethical development of the moral subject. So, memory and individual (or social) life will crush on a computational state.

Mechane, 2, Mimesis Journal, 2021

Didattica a Distanza: esperienze dal lockdown; Quaderni del Dipartimento di Linguistica - Università della Calabria, 2021

This paper will focus on some issues about the new application of teaching in the virtual space. ... more This paper will focus on some issues about the new application of teaching in the virtual space. Firstly, the social situation of global emergency generated by Covid-19 will be considered. Then, it will be underlined how the teaching process can be de ned and sometimes improved by distance learning, through the use of speci c methodologies: this urges teachers’ educational responsibility. However, the educational process can be compromised if there is no physical space where the relationship between students and teacher can be built, in particular considering Special Educational Needs. In this case, the teacher is involved as “care-giver”, according to the care ethics paradigm as theorized by Joan Tronto.

Kayak - A Philosophical Journey, 2021

Aim of this paper is to analyse interface’s different levels between humans and artificial intell... more Aim of this paper is to analyse interface’s different levels between humans and artificial intelligence, assuming human being as a cognitive system organized on many levels of complexity. Starting from a first interface level linked to the concept of “intelligence”, we’ll try to figure out why AI can’t reach the same condition of human intelligence and complexity. Nevertheless, AI can be assumed as a different cognitive system. At the same time, we’ll try to understand how an increased level of complexity implies enhanced AI’s interfaces in order to create a relationship with humans. However, if this interface is too similar to humans (e.g. AI body-endowed) and according to Masahiro Mori’s uncanny valley, this machine can create a distance between human and AI. If every AI has its own objective in different fields of application, an “uncanny” interface can be unproductive for human’s purposes.

Mimesis journal, Mechanè, 2021

Starting from the difference between "strong-aI" and "weak-aI", this paper wants to underline the... more Starting from the difference between "strong-aI" and "weak-aI", this paper wants to underline the present and future questions coming out from the development of Artificial Intelligences and their collocation in the field of applied ethics. Firstly, the paper will focus on the present time, then on the ethical and juridical implications of weak-aI uses. Secondly, it will go deeply into the ethical and anthropological matters, which come out from the possibility of a strong-aI use. About the second issue, the work will underline the difference between human and machine's act; in this sense, the machine probably has no skills in adapting its action to a particular moral situation (phronetic deficiency). That's why it has to be considered as a sub-symbolic entity, out of the "world of meaning" where all ethical acts have a purpose and action's motivations can be explained.

Segni e comprensione, a. XXXIV, n° 99, 2020

The aim of this paper is to underline the rule of imaginary in the contemporary fables, analyzing... more The aim of this paper is to underline the rule of imaginary in the contemporary fables, analyzing the 'dialectic of imagination' which moves from 'symbolic' to 'Real' and viceversa. Firstly, this work will focus on evolution of Disney's cinematic universe whose narrations became more 'real' in the last movies through the psychoanalytic introspection of each character-expecially the evil-ones. Secondly, the difference between hero's role in mythology and in classical fables will be compared, pointing out the psychoanalytic rapresentation, which is function and fondation of the freudian Super-Ego in fairytales.

Ritiri filosofici, Praxis, 2020

Link: http://ritirifilosofici.it/author/aldo-pisano/ Aim of this paper is to analyze the rule of... more Link: http://ritirifilosofici.it/author/aldo-pisano/

Aim of this paper is to analyze the rule of speech and action as performative acts in Hannah Arendt's ethical and political theory, moving from The Human conditon and from the difference between "private" and "public" space as considered in Arednt's philosophy. The first one (private) is linked to a natural disposition of individual who acts in that way called "work" for his/her own subsistence, the second one (public) is linked to the creation of that artificial human space called society where "actions"-in an ethical and political sense-take place. Specifically, the most relevant theme is that "actions" and "speeches" are not mere "acts" or "words", but they become morally relevant only when the subject assumes a conscious responsability about what she/he acts or says. This happens only when the person "thinks" which means that he begins an "interior dialogue" in an individual space. In the internal perspective, this self-reflection allows conscience's development, while in the external one it becomes public through verbalization in the form of judgment.

Book Reviews by Aldo Pisano

Logoi.ph - Journal of philosophy, 2019

Forme ed etica del tempo in Nietzsche. Recensione al testo di Luca Lupo Forme ed etica del tempo ... more Forme ed etica del tempo in Nietzsche. Recensione al testo di Luca Lupo Forme ed etica del tempo in Nietzsche sembra centrare l'obiettivo espresso nell'introduzione: estendere la riflessione sul tempo anche al di là della prospettiva sul tema legata specificamente a Nietzsche. L'autore cerca peraltro di muoversi controcorrente rispetto a gran parte della letteratura specialistica sul tema: tale letteratura tende infatti a ridurre il problema della temporalità in Nietzsche al pensiero dell'eterno ritorno, pensiero che rappresenta comunque una tappa inaggirabile anche in questo studio. Si parte, dunque, dalle considerazioni sul 'demone del tempo' del primo capitolo per poi passare alla dimensione specificamente etica della temporalità nella Gaia Scienza (cap. 2), per poi indagare i concetti di coscienza e volontà in 'Psicologia ed etica della temporalità nel Crepuscolo degli idoli' (cap. 3), fino ad approdare all'idea della temporalità soggettiva, in quanto forma dell'individualità ed esperienza della verità tra Zarathustra e psicologia analitica di Jung (cap. 4).

Conference Presentations by Aldo Pisano

XXV World Philosophy Congress, 2024

The present paper addresses on two ethical challenge posed by AI: (1) Truth and Trust and (2) Bia... more The present paper addresses on two ethical challenge posed by AI: (1) Truth and Trust and (2) Bias and Algorithms. Concerning the first topic, in Niklas Luhmann's theory, Trust is examinated as an epistemological tool designed to simplify complexity: it helps in navigating the world and interacting with the others. In virtual reality-where individuals can interact with potentially deceptive users, including Generative AI systems-Trust is ineffective as simplification system. In order to interact in virtual reality, individuals are encouraged to employ Distrust as critical approach to virtuality. The second topic will focus on how algorithms impact moral identity. When algorithms guide users' knowledge and choices, they reduce the axiological experience of individuals, compromising the development of a pluralistic perspective on reality. Even in this scenario, Distrust could be an ethical and epistemological attitude to avoid manipulation.

Narrative and the Sociale Sciences. Interdisciplinary Perspectives University of Palermo | 28th June 2024, 2024

Hayao Mikyazaki's fictional world as case study in narrative Ethics

Bioetica. Rivista Interdisciplinare , 2024

Ritiri filosofici, 2024

Ritiri Filosofici, 2024

Mechane. International Journal of Philosophy and Anthropology of Technology. N.5 "Technology and War", 2023

Areté. International Journal of Philosophy, Human and Social Sciences, pp. 287-317, 2022

Filosofi(e) semiotiche, 2023

Ritiri Filosofici, 2023

Mechane, 2, Mimesis Edizioni, 2021

Mechane, 2, Mimesis Journal, 2021

Didattica a Distanza: esperienze dal lockdown; Quaderni del Dipartimento di Linguistica - Università della Calabria, 2021

Kayak - A Philosophical Journey, 2021

Mimesis journal, Mechanè, 2021

Segni e comprensione, a. XXXIV, n° 99, 2020

Ritiri filosofici, Praxis, 2020

Link: http://ritirifilosofici.it/author/aldo-pisano/ Aim of this paper is to analyze the rule of... more Link: http://ritirifilosofici.it/author/aldo-pisano/

Logoi.ph - Journal of philosophy, 2019

XXV World Philosophy Congress, 2024

Narrative and the Sociale Sciences. Interdisciplinary Perspectives University of Palermo | 28th June 2024, 2024

Hayao Mikyazaki's fictional world as case study in narrative Ethics

The article discusses the ethical risks of delegating decision-making processes to Artificial Int... more The article discusses the ethical risks of delegating decision-making processes to Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI statements are often considered certain and absolute due to a misattribution of an 'alethic' value, portraying AI as an expression of pure mathematical truth. However, this view distorts the concept of truth and human knowledge. Moving from Bruno Snell essay about human and divine knowledge, AI can be seen as a new divine thought, free from sensory contamination, posing risks to democracy by threatening dialectical plurality and freedom of discussion. Lack of regulation could allow AI to make decisions without human accountability.

Ai.dev and Cassandra Summit, 2023

Presentation for Ai.dev and Cassandra Summit, Linux Foundation. San Jose, California 12-13 decemb... more Presentation for Ai.dev and Cassandra Summit, Linux Foundation. San Jose, California 12-13 december 2023.

Seminario di Ricerca "Il limite", 2023

Presentation for Conference on "Limits" for Pontificia Università Antonianum, Rome. The proposal... more Presentation for Conference on "Limits" for Pontificia Università Antonianum, Rome.
The proposal focuses on epistemological and anthropological development in Carlo Rovelli's work.

Atti di Convegno, 2023

Is AI a threat for democracy? Ethical and educational challenge for digital citizenship

Third International Conference "La Scuola Democratica", 2024

How to Face Artificial Tyranny. Saving Democracy through Education in the AI Era and rethinking a... more How to Face Artificial Tyranny. Saving Democracy through Education in the AI Era and rethinking argumentation skills. 0. Introducing Good Thinking Dewey's idea of thinking in How we Think (1933 edition) 1 in the firs pages refers to Francis Bacon and Jonh Locke's theories of knowledge and belief. Additionally, when Dewey argues about autonomous thought he uses a specific philosophical way of thinking related to uncertainty and doubt. If we want to "think well", we need to revision beliefs (i.e. bias) about what we have learnt during our education. So, Education turns democracy in a paradox. According to the idea of "critical ethics", democracy gives to individuals the possibility to think by their own, criticizing the same values and culture where they were born. Not surprisingly, for Dewey "good thinking" is an ethical habit-or attitude-that must be acquired through educational process and granted by democracy. About our idea of Artificial Intelligence, from Turing's paper published on Mind in 1950 2 and from Dartmouth Congress in 1956, something started changing. In the beginning, the idea was to develop a computational system which could "think" as a human being. Now, it seems that the best way of thinking matches with the computational one (e. g. HIP model). This inversion-where a good way of thinking is the computational one-found it basis on two biases: a. The first one is the analogy bias-is that we are biased in our representation of AI because we started using "intelligence" for machines in an inappropriate way. According to Dewey's theory, thinking is a way of intelligence that is properly human. And if a machine cannot think-that is the question posed by Turing in 1950-then it cannot be intelligent as we use to describe it: with reference to human intelligence. b. The second one is the automation bias, that is the representation of a machine that cannot fail because it is a computation-based thinking. The problem comes when we move from the problem-solving logical dominion to the decision-making ethical dominion. Applying the formal-mathematical model in both fields is a naturalistic fallacy. This idea is widely known in history of ethics from the "is-ought" question opened by David Hume to Principia Ethica by George Edward Moore. We cannot derive prescription (i.e. the ethical dominion) from description (i.e. the logical dominion). Dewey's idea of thinking as an activity to criticize bias in a democratic society where decisions are taken through debate, forum and dialectics. This idea of thinking can help us in risk prevention about AI prevasive use. The answer is in the Education of individuals as future citizens and workes who must revision the automation bias in order to avoid the Tyranny of Truth.

Convegno Nazionale della Società italiana di Filosofia Morale 31 maggio - 1 giugno, 2024

University of Venice, University of Paris 1- Pantheon-Sorbonne, 2024

This proposal focuses on ethical issues raised by AI applications in education, starting from a r... more This proposal focuses on ethical issues raised by AI applications in education, starting from a risk-based and human-centered approach. We will analyze both bottom-up (education) and top-down (politics) processes, as they are both involved in shaping an AI-driven environment. In education, we should think an Ethics and AI literacy framework to enhance awareness of AI usage, particularly algorithms, which can pose a threat to individual development. When used by Big Tech via smartphones and social media, algorithms can lead to impulsiveness and dependence. This is especially relevant during childhood and adolescence when "self-building" heavily relies on social stimuli. Today, the "social space" has expanded due to the presence of a digital or "informational" self. On the one hand, a critical-directed learning approach can assist individuals in analyzing social feedback and its relevance to personal development. We will briefly examine whether the Ethics of Care and Virtue Ethics (enkrateia and phronesis) continue to play a role in educational processes when fostering the development of critical digital citizenship. On the other hand, political decision-making processes should prioritize creating a cohabitation environment for humans and AI. Only in this way, we can support complexity without diminishing it. Moreover, according to neurobiology, complex scenarios should remain flexible to train personal intelligence as a "management system of uncertainty”.