Date: 
October 19, 2017 - 7:00pm
Speaker: 
Stan Matwin, Danny Silver, Teresa Heffernan and Paul Abela

Location: Acadia University, BAC 241

Purpose:
The aim of this public debate is to foster a broad and
inclusive discussion which informs our understanding of
the dynamics and consequences of the rise of AI and
Robotics and how to govern its impact on humanity and
our world.

Moderator:
Ian Wilks    Acadia, Philosophy

Panel Members:
PRO:
Stan Matwin   Dalhousie, Computer Science
Danny Silver    Acadia, Computer Science

CON:
Teresa Heffernan    Saint Mary’s, English
Paul Abela    Acadia, Philosophy

Format:
A policy debate format will be used. Members of the Pro and Con teams will
center their presentations on the following topics:
• AI/Robots and the impact on civil society (jobs and economic sustainability,
governance)
• AI/Robots and our conception of what it is to be human (transhumanism,
mortality, dominance/subservience/equality with the machine?)
• AI/Robots and our safety and security (social, political and military notions
of responsibility and authority: where does the buck stop?)
• AI/Robots and human