Yang Qingfeng
Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Ethics and the Future of Humanity, Fudan University, Professor at the Fudan Development Institute
Research directions: Enhanced technology philosophy , memory philosophy, artificial intelligence Intelligent ethics
"The meaning of memory to life itself needs to be explored. It can fight against the arrogance of life, and can also constitute the rich form of life."
What is the thing that you have invested the most energy in your research field in 2022, and why do you want to promote this matter?
In recent years, I have mainly conducted in-depth research on issues related to human enhancement. This is not only the task requirement of the major project of the National Social Science Fund that I currently undertake, but also a link in the evolution of my academic logic. My academic logic mainly runs through the logic of technological phenomenology. Phenomenology of technology is a method of studying the philosophy of technology, which can also be called post-phenomenology. Postphenomenology was created by American technology philosopher Don Ide, aiming to use empirical technology research to expand the application dimension of phenomenology . The technological phenomenology I use is slightly different from it, emphasizing more technological research, but this is the beginning of experience, and this kind of research will lead us to the transcendental dimension.
Starting from the phenomenology of technology, it can expand the links of space, images, things and memory: the space link is born from Husserl's analysis of space and objects, Heidegger's analysis of spatiality. I focus on the experience of space bringing things closer; The object link comes from Heidegger's "Questioning Things", and the reflection on technology rises to this dimension; the image link is implicit in Husserl's discussion of image consciousness, which can provide inspiration for the research of digital images and intelligent images; the memory link is born from image consciousness, and Husserl's investigation of image consciousness is inseparable from memory. These links gradually unfolded in my previous work, especially the memory link, which formed a unique pattern, became the basis for human enhancement research, and was integrated into the human enhancement phenomenon.
The Questioning of Things
Martin Heidegger
Shanghai Translation Publishing House , 2016
In the research on human enhancement, the dimension of memory enhancement that I have invested the most energy in should be the dimension of memory enhancement. This issue has its own particularities: on the one hand, memory enhancement should not be submerged in cognitive enhancement. My previous work has been to get rid of the restrictions of memory attachment and construct the status of memory ontology; on the other hand, the significance of memory to life itself needs to be explored. It can fight against the arrogance of life and can also constitute the rich form of life. This is also an effort to get rid of the attachment theory of memory from the dimension of life.
Please tell us about your recent reading plans.
Recently I re-read some classic works that I read during my PhD, such as Windelband's History of Philosophy, Aristotle 's "On the Soul and Others", Hegel's " Small Logic ", etc.
From the perspective of professional research, we focus on reading literature in three areas: first, literature related to augmentation technology published in journals such as "Science" (Science); second, phenomenological literature, such as Husserl's "Passive Comprehensive Analysis", related to research methods of augmentation technology; third Third, some works on ethics , such as Schopenhauer 's "Two Basic Issues in Ethics ", Slott's "From Morality to Virtue" and Verbeek's "Moralizing Technology: Understanding and Designing the Morality of Things" are very helpful for thinking about the ethical issues of enhanced technology.
Moralizing technology
Peter Paul Verbeek
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, 2016
In your research field, what is the most worthy concept to popularize to the public?
In the field of science and technology philosophy , the most worthy of popularization is the reflection on instrumental theory. Instrumentalism is a concept that has a profound impact on daily life. This concept regards technology as a tool to solve problems and meet needs. Heidegger once made an in-depth critical analysis of this concept in "The Inquiry of Technology". However, his criticism went towards metaphysics and did not leave a good way out.In my opinion, suspending tool understanding and fully exploring technical experience is a better choice, which can help us recognize the errors of tool theory and make effective reflections.
What misunderstandings have the public had about your research field for a long time?
For a long time, the public's attitude towards science and technology has usually been either/or, that is, making a choice between science and technology as devil/angel, poison/antidote, positive/negative, and expressing support or opposition on this basis. This is a deep misunderstanding.
The relationship between technology and people is multi-dimensional, and we have ignored many things, such as the divine factors in the origin of technology, its metaphysical nature, and the fact that technology is one of the forms of human virtue. Being familiar with and mastering these concepts can allow us to gain a three-dimensional and rich understanding of science and technology without falling into dualism .
Please recommend some spiritual products that will impress you in 2022.
Nobel Prize winner Eric R. Kandel 's biographical work "Chasing Traces of Memory: The Creation of a New Science of Mind" ( China Friendship Publishing Company , 2019) is a good book I read in 2022. The reason why I recommend this book is, firstly, because it is beautifully written, fluently written, and highly readable. Secondly, the author describes his own journey of engaging in scientific research and achieving achievements, which fully reflects this scientist’s persistence in studying the phenomenon of human memory and his strong sense of social responsibility, which is very helpful to each of us.
Chasing the traces of memory
Eric Kandel
China Friendship Publishing Company, 2019
(Originally published in "Xinrui Weekly" Issue 88)
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