​Antiqua Et Nova: How should we relate with machines and minds?

​This is a 3-part series organized by Orbital Studies Magazine and Endemic culminating in an informed discussion of the Vatican's paper Antiqua Et Nova. Each session centers on a specific text, and while sessions are self-contained, we encourage attending all three to build a deeper understanding as we explore the material together (links to all events at bottom).

​Our discussion will take place in person at 1RG in Toronto on Wednesday evenings and online on Tuesday afternoons. This page is for the in-person gathering. To RSVP for the online version please register here.

​Participants should read each text before attending.

​We'll journey from the philosophy of neuroscience through the engineering of cognitive biological systems to the Vatican's theological and practical position on AI. Our discussions aim to foster deep engagement, helping participants develop coherent, meaningful, and actionable insights at the intersection of technology, policy, and personal practice.

​Antiqua et Nova: Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence

​Finally we will read the Vatican’s position paper on AI, Antiqua et Nova: Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence. This piece comes out with a strong humanist stance that reaffirms human exceptionalism and rejects the idea of intelligent machines. Although they speak to the importance of technological development for human flourishing and our stewardship of the earth, they warn against devaluing human relationality through the anthropomorphization of  computational systems, and speak about the particular importance of embodiment and the “wisdom of the heart” as a distinct human capacity grounded in their theological understanding.

​In a certain sense this is the most applied of the three papers, as it is laying out official doctrine for a nation-state, for billions of followers, and for a global set of institutions. Their particular focus on AI in education and healthcare has consequences for Catholic schools and hospitals around the world.

​Schedule

​Doors and quiet pre-read: 6:30pm

​Discussion: 7pm - 9pm

​Unstructured time: 9pm - 10pm

​Session 1 in-person RSVP link. Session 1 online RSVP link

​Session 2 in-person RSVP link. Session 2 online RSVP link

​Session 3 in-person RSVP link (this page). Session 3 online RSVP link

​Host

​Xavier Snelgrove is a researcher, educator, entrepreneur and engineer who works with computation and mathematics to explore the world. He is Editor in Chief of Orbital Studies Magazine, and a Partner at Probably Studio a research atelier and consultancy in Toronto. He has worked with machine learning and AI in industry for over 15 years at both his own startups and large organizations, leading the development of AI-driven products from conception to data to training to deployment that have been used by millions of people. He has a particular interest in cross-fertilizing perspectives across diverse fields, regularly speaking and teaching to general audiences, organizing art/code jams, and has put on galleries and invited artists to speak at major academic computer science conferences.