Robot head logo, linking to the home page

Artificial Intelligence

An Experiment in the (Re)Distribution of Grades: UPDATE (2026)

September 5, 2026 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Blog, Capitalism, citizenship, Codifying Civility and Collegiality, critical thinking, Democracy, ERG, Ethics, Internet, Marx, Media, Open Source Pedagogy, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Social Media, Teaching Comments Off on An Experiment in the (Re)Distribution of Grades: UPDATE (2026)

Do “grades” even matter anymore?

Read More

Comradeship in Crisis: Climate Change vs. the Posthuman Threat

October 24, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Blog2024+, Capitalism, Climate Crisis, Democracy, Emergent Tech, Environmental concerns, Ethics, Philosophy, Politics, Public Philosophy, Technology and Human Values, Trump Comments Off on Comradeship in Crisis: Climate Change vs. the Posthuman Threat

Could the posthuman—rather than climate catastrophe—be the unifying force that calls us to arms?

Read More

Humanity vs. Technology (in 5 minutes)

July 31, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Aesthetics, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Biotech, Blog2024+, critical thinking, Democracy, Digital Humanities, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Internet, Justice, Labor Issues, Machine Learning, Open Source Pedagogy, Philosophy, Politics, Posthuman, Public Philosophy, Social Media, Surveillance, Teaching, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Uncanny Valley Comments Off on Humanity vs. Technology (in 5 minutes)

Dr. Leigh M. Johnson summarizes the challenges technology poses to humanity (and the humanities) in 5-minute PowerPoint.

Read More

Lying Artificial Intelligence

July 27, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Blog2024+, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, Internet, Justice, Machine Learning, Media, Open Source Pedagogy, Philosophy, podcast, Politics, Posthuman, Social Media, SPEP, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on Lying Artificial Intelligence

Should we worry about a robot capable of lying about being a robot?

Read More

Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 18: Digital Afterlives

July 23, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Biotech, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, Philosophy, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 18: Digital Afterlives

 Co-host Leigh M. Johnson is in the hot seat for this episode’s discussion of “digital afterlives.” If we consider the digital, i.e., information-based, self to be distinguishable from the living and breathing meatspace self, we should ask” how long can the Digital Me live on after the Meatspace Me dies? Technology already enables us to…

Read More

BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 19: “Metalhead” with Roman V. Yampolskiy

February 12, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 19: “Metalhead” with Roman V. Yampolskiy

  For Episode 19, I am joined by Dr. Roman V. Yampolskiy to talk about killer robot dogs, poker playing AIs, the control problem, how long we have left before the rise of the machines, what it would be like to be a superintelligence’s pet, and “Metalhead” (Season 4, Episode 5 of Black Mirror), which…

Read More

BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep11: “USS Callister” with David Gunkel

December 20, 2020 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Philosophy, Politics, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Television Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep11: “USS Callister” with David Gunkel

  For Episode 11– our first Christmas episode!– I am joined by Dr. David Gunkel to talk about the possibility of virtual moral agents, the seriousness of online games, science fiction’s bad politics, and “USS Callister” (Episode 1, Season 4 of Black Mirror), which first premiered in 2017.  Listen/Download BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast episodes  Subscribe to BLACK…

Read More

BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast, Ep7: “Playest” with C. Thi Nguyen

December 4, 2020 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Ethics, Philosophy, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Television Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast, Ep7: “Playest” with C. Thi Nguyen

  For Episode 7, I am joined by Dr. C. Thi Nguyen to talk about “Playtest” (Season 3, Episode 2), which premiered in 2013 and is the only Black Mirror episode that follows a straightforwardly “horror” format. Before getting to the Episode 7 notes, I want to announce that BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS now tweets! Please follow…

Read More

BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 5: “San Junipero” with Michael Norton

November 27, 2020 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Emergent Tech, LGBTQ, Philosophy, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Women and Gender Issues Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 5: “San Junipero” with Michael Norton

For Episode 5 of BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, I am joined by Dr. Michael Norton to talk about one of the most widely-beloved Black Mirror episodes, “San Junipero.” It premiered in 2016, the fourth episode of Season Three, and made a million tech-savvy queers *swoon.* Not trying to be the party-pooper podcast hostess here, but SJ…

Read More

BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep2: “White Christmas” with Chris Gilliard

November 27, 2020 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Democracy, Ethics, Philosophy, Politics, Race and Racism, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Television Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep2: “White Christmas” with Chris Gilliard

  In Episode 2 of BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, I am joined by Dr. Chris Gilliard to discuss the first Black Mirror holiday special, first aired in 2014, “White Christmas.” Again, I strongly recommend that you watch (or re-watch) the episode before listening to this podcase episode. Even though Chris and I spend waaayyyy more time talking about…

Read More