CFP: Corpus Analysis, Conceptual Change, and Socially Disruptive Technologies

CFP: Corpus Analysis, Conceptual Change, and Socially Disruptive Technologies 

New technologies like AI (deepfakes, large language models etc.) or bio and climate technologies (e.g., CRISPR or zero-emissions agriculture) are not only changing our way of life and social practices. They also have the potential of disrupting or even of changing our concepts and values. How can we study such conceptual disruptions empirically? Do they give rise to conceptual or moral/value change?  This workshop aims to establish a community of philosophers and cognitive scientists who are interested in using corpus linguistics to investigate concept and value change in light of conceptually disruptive technologies. 

Questions discussed in the workshop include:  

• How can we study conceptual change empirically?
• Can we investigate conceptual disruptions via corpus linguistics? 
• What are the limits of corpus analysis?
• What are the possibilities and limits of this method with respect to studying moral change and value change?
• How do conceptual change and value change\moral change relate?

This event is funded by the STEM track of the research consortium Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (www.esdit.nl) and Ibo van de Poel’s ERC project Design for Value Change” (www.valuechange.eu).

Speakers: ·       

Mark Alfano (Macquarie) (online)

Fritz Günther (Berlin) (online)

Lucien Baumgartner (Zürich) (in person)

Ibo van de Poel (Delft) (in person)

Arianna Betti (to be confirmed)

There is a limited number of open slots for contributions from empirically working early career researchers and graduate students. We prioritize contributors who engage in corpus studies themselves.

Time and Date: February 16, 2022, TU Delft, The Netherlands. Room TBA

Please submit a 500-word abstract to [email protected]. 

The deadline is December 31, 2022. If you would like to participate online or in person, please send an email to the same address. 

Best, 

Guido Löhr (TU Eindhoven) and Ibo van de Poel (TU Delft)