​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.

​The Brain Abstracted

​Our first reading will be the introduction to The Brain Abstracted: Simplification in the History and Philosophy of Neuroscience by M. Chirimuuta, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.

​The text explores the human brain's complexity, examining the historical tension between organismic and mechanistic philosophies while highlighting the role of abstraction, simplification, and analogy in scientific explanation. By examining how scientists' ontological and theological positions have shaped norms of abstraction throughout history, we can better understand today's debates about the nature of mind.

​Schedule

​Doors and quiet pre-read: 6:30pm

​Discussion: 7pm - 9pm

​Unstructured time: 9pm - 10pm

​Session 1 in-person (this page). Session 1 online RSVP link

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

​Session 3 in-person RSVP link. 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.