AI in Society: Social Science Perspectives

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Questions and Answers

In relational ontology, what is the primary focus when studying entities?

  • The inherent qualities and characteristics of each individual entity.
  • The static classification of entities into predefined categories.
  • The hierarchical structure that places humans at the center of importance.
  • The dynamic connections and relations between entities. (correct)

Which of the following statements best reflects the shift in focus from actors to agency within the context of relational ontology?

  • Agency is solely attributed to human actors, as humans are the primary drivers of social change.
  • Agency is concentrated in individuals with the most power and influence.
  • Agency is a capacity distributed across networks, encompassing both human and non-human elements. (correct)
  • Agency is an illusion, as all actions are predetermined by social structures.

What does it mean to say that ontologies are 'flat' in the context of the provided information?

  • There is no inherent hierarchy or ranking among different types of entities. (correct)
  • All entities are identical and interchangeable.
  • Humans are superior to other entities.
  • Entities exist in isolation, without any meaningful connections.

What do Bourdieu and Haraway both emphasize in their understanding of society?

<p>The importance of analyzing subjective experiences in relation to objective conditions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes Western modern scientific thinking from relational thinking?

<p>The social is separated from nature and technology. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which concept highlights that knowledge production is always influenced by a particular perspective and set of values?

<p>Partial vision. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of relational thinking's reduced distinction between nature, culture and technology?

<p>It suggests that humans must consider the kind of socio-technical world they contribute to. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of STS (Science and Technology Studies) regarding knowledge production?

<p>To make transparent the origins and reasons behind knowledge. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of politics for Weber?

<p>The competition for influence, either of leadership or those influencing that leadership. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which theorist is most closely associated with the concept of 'dynamic nominalism'?

<p>Ian Hacking (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts is central to Pierre Bourdieu's sociological framework?

<p>Habitus (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is organized skepticism, in the context of research, intended to prevent?

<p>The acceptance of truth claims without scrutiny. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key question raised when the German order of precedence does not match who is actually driving AI?

<p>Who should make decisions on complex topics: politicians, the people, the experts, or those most affected? (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the study of 'the social,' what determines the different answers to how society is structured?

<p>The specific approach taken to define what constitutes society. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of 'economization' is specifically associated with...

<p>Callon &amp; Caliskan's work on markets and practices (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What perspective does relational thinking challenge regarding 'the social'?

<p>The social is only about people and is separate from nature and technology. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sociologists is most closely associated with the study of 'social facts' and the establishment of sociology as a scientific discipline?

<p>Émile Durkheim (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the pursuit of a 'faithful account of subjective experiences' require in social research?

<p>Empirically and conceptually producing an understanding of these experiences in relation to their objective circumstances. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following perspectives emphasizes the idea that artifacts themselves can embody and exert political influence?

<p>Actor-Network Theory (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following figures is most associated with the concept of 'governmentality'?

<p>Michel Foucault (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hall's work is focused on...

<p>Struggle for cultural hegemony (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts is central to Viveiros de Castro's anthropological perspective?

<p>Perspectivalism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The idea that politics involves pushing one's interests through, encompassing sub- and ontological dimensions, aligns with which perspective?

<p>STS (Science and Technology Studies) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which concept is associated with Lévi-Strauss?

<p>Universal mental structures (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What two dimensions are intertwined in STS (Science and Technology Studies)?

<p>The material and the semiotic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the common goal between Bordieu and Harraway's understanding of society?

<p>Understanding subjective experiences in relation to objective circumstances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes contingency from 'fake news'?

<p>Structures that don’t allow for it, organized skepticism towards truth claims, and scientists' willingness to discuss.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the statement that knowledge about producing knowledge about society is ALWAYS POLITICAL?

<p>It reflects a partial vision; it is always epistemically, politically, and ethically accountable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should researchers empirically do when understanding society?

<p>Empirically and conceptually produce a faithful account of subjective experiences in relation to their objective conditions of possibility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'goal of STS'?

<p>Make transparent where and why knowledge comes from.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name at least 3 things that "society is made from"?

<p>People, the State, Laws, Institutions, Culture, and Economy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does relational ontology differ from traditional sociological approaches (e.g., Weber, Durkheim) in understanding 'the social'?

<p>Relational ontology blurs the lines between nature, culture, and technology, while traditional approaches often separate 'the social' as exclusively about people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In relational ontology, how is agency understood differently from Weber's concept of 'action'?

<p>Agency is distributed across a network of both human and non-human entities, rather than solely residing in individual human actors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of the statement 'ontologies are flat' within the context of relational ontology.

<p>It means that there is no inherent hierarchy among different entities (humans, objects, technologies), all contribute to phenomena.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does relational ontology's perspective on nature and culture differ from the Western categorical distinction?

<p>Relational ontology challenges the strict separation between nature and culture, which is a characteristic of Western modern scientific thinking.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of embracing relational thinking regarding our responsibility for the socio-technical worlds we create?

<p>We must consider the kind of world we are contributing to: relational thinking suggests that we are responsible for the worlds we assemble, as we blur the nature/culture divide.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is 'politics' defined beyond traditional understandings in relational ontology?

<p>Politics is defined as pushing your interests through sub- and ontological politics, concerning which entities get to shape reality and decision-making.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the central question raised when there is a mismatch between the 'German order of precedence' and those who are actually driving AI development?

<p>The central question is: who should make the decisions regarding complex topics like AI – politicians, experts, or those most affected?</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how Weber's definition of 'politics' relates to the concept of 'competition for influence'.

<p>For Weber, politics is the struggle for influence whether of leadership or the ones influencing that leadership.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Marx, what are the two key components that define historical materialism?

<p>Means of production and relations of production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept, developed by Bourdieu, describes the embodied dispositions and habits that individuals acquire through socialization, shaping their perceptions and actions?

<p>Habitus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Foucault, what is the relationship between discourse and power?

<p>Discourse is a vehicle for power.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What theoretical perspective, exemplified by Latour's work, views both human and non-human actors as equally important in shaping social phenomena?

<p>Actor-Network Theory (ANT).</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to de Vries, what broader dimensions are encompassed by the term 'politics', beyond traditional political activities?

<p>Sub- and ontological politics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Identify one of the five notions of politics in STS covered in the material.

<p>Governmentality, deliberative assemblies, sovereignty, public and its problems, or new associations and cosmograms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the central argument of Polanyi's substantivist approach to the economy?

<p>The economy is embedded in society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of Goffman's work on 'scripts'?

<p>Social interaction and the presentation of self.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Weber, what is the focus of social action?

<p>Meaningful, individual behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the core idea behind Hacking's concept of 'dynamic nominalism'?

<p>Categories shape the people they are applied to.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Relational Ontology

A perspective focusing on the connections and interactions between entities rather than just the entities themselves.

Agency in Networks

The ability to act or influence within a network is distributed among all entities, not just humans.

Flat Ontologies

A model where all ways of existing are seen as equal without hierarchical distinctions based on their nature.

Nature vs. Culture Distinction

The Western idea that separates nature from culture, which is not universally shared across societies.

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Socio-technical Worlds

The intertwined nature of social and technological aspects that shape our reality and responsibilities.

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Sub-ontological Politics

The idea that power dynamics involve not just people, but the relations and roles of entities within a structure.

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Politics (Weber's View)

Politics is seen as the struggle for influence, focusing on leadership and the factors that influence leadership.

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Complex Decision-making

Determining who should make decisions about societal issues is complex and involves multiple stakeholders.

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Goffman's Scripts

Frameworks we use to guide social interactions, like actors in a play.

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Durkheim's Norms

Social rules that guide behavior and maintain social order.

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Weber's Social Action

Individuals act based on meanings and experiences, influencing society.

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Bourdieu's Habitus

A system of dispositions shaped by social conditions, influencing behavior and thoughts.

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Foucault's Discourse Analysis

Study how language shapes power dynamics and knowledge formation.

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Latour's Actor-Network Theory

Explores networks of relationships between entities (human and non-human).

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Foucault's Governmentality

The art of governing beyond traditional politics, influencing how society is managed.

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Polanyi's Debate

Discussion on the nature of economy: formal versus substantive approaches.

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Lévi-Strauss's Structuralism

Analyzes cultural patterns and structures that shape societies.

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Caliskan & Callon's Economization

The process of transforming social practices into economic activities.

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Material-semiotic technologies

Technologies that combine material elements and semiotic (meaning-making) aspects in knowledge production.

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Contingency vs. Fake News

Contingency refers to the uncertain nature of knowledge, while fake news is misinformation deliberately spread.

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Bourdieu's and Harraway's view

Both emphasize understanding subjective experiences within their objective contexts and limitations.

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The social

The concept that society comprises various entities like individuals, institutions, and cultures interacting politically.

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Political Accountability

The necessity to ethically and politically justify the production of societal knowledge.

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Ontologies of the Social

Different frameworks for understanding how social entities exist and interact within society.

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Knowledge Production

The process of creating and validating knowledge, influenced by social, political, and ethical considerations.

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Power Dynamics in Society

The influence of relationships and entities, not just individuals, in shaping societal structures.

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Structuralism

Analyzes structures that shape cultural and social patterns.

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Social Action

Individuals act based on meanings influenced by society.

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Bourdieu's Social Capital

Resources available to individuals through their social networks.

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Poststructuralism

Focuses on discourse and the complexities of meaning in power dynamics.

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Discourse Analysis

Study how language shapes social practices and power relations.

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Actor-Network Theory

Explores how relationships between entities form networks affecting outcomes.

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Governmentality

The art of governing that shapes how society is organized beyond traditional politics.

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Economization

The process of turning social actions into economic activities.

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Cultural Hegemony

Dominance of one culture over others, often through ideology.

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Material Turn

Focus on how material objects and infrastructures influence social dynamics.

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Relational Connections

The focus on how entities relate and interact, rather than their individual characteristics.

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Agency Beyond Humans

The idea that non-human entities, like bridges, can have agency and influence.

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Cultural Perspective

Recognizing different societies may not share the Western idea of separating nature from culture.

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Influence in Politics

Politics involves competition for influence over leadership and decisions.

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Decision-Makers

Identifying who should decide on societal issues is a complex task involving various stakeholders.

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Responsibility for Worlds

Acknowledging our role in shaping socio-technical environments and their impacts.

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Contingency in knowledge

The uncertain nature of knowledge influenced by various contexts and experiences, opposed to fake news.

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Bourdieu's and Harraway's insight

Both thinkers stress the importance of linking subjective experiences with the objective contexts that shape them.

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Society's composition

Society is made up of people, institutions, laws, culture, and economic interactions.

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Understanding 'the social'

It involves exploring how entities like individuals act within societal structures and the impacts of those actions.

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Epistemic accountability

Responsibility for the production of knowledge, ensuring it is grounded in ethical and political considerations.

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Study Notes

AI in and for Society

  • Society can be explained using social science epistemology and ontology.
  • STS (Science and Technology Studies) investigates how the production of knowledge and technologies impact society.
  • Epistemology is the study of knowledge.
  • Ontology is the study of being, existence, and what is.
  • Critical Rationalism (Popper) is a method for analyzing hypotheses, seeking to falsify them.
  • Understanding social sciences requires consideration of situated knowledge, contingency, and the role of power.
  • Individuals act within a larger social context: many theories on the social exist including structuralism and historical materialism.
  • Behaviors are influenced by social action and individual experience, including social fields, social capital, and the concept of "Kultur Mensch".
  • Understanding social situations involves recognizing discourses as sources of knowledge and power.
  • Poststructuralism, discourse analysis, concepts like "the social" and "society" are important to examine.
  • Consideration of material and infrastructural concepts provides an alternate understanding of human interaction.
  • Political activity involves differing and competing ideas of ontological and sub-political activity, including notions of power, governmentality, and deliberations.
  • Social theories, such as those from Marx, Engels, Weber, Goffman, Bourdieu, Durkheim, Lévi-Strauss, and Hall, provide varying perspectives on understanding social situations.
  • Hall's idea of cultural hegemony helps investigate the struggle to establish dominant meanings within society.
  • Donna Haraway's work on situated knowledge challenges the concept of objective or universal truths.
  • The economy is not a separate entity but rather a result of social and human interactions that shape how it functions.
  • Understanding "the economy" necessitates examining the dichotomy between the formalist (rational actor, utility maximization) and substantivist (society's embedment in social structures and relationships) positions in economics.
  • "The social" often overlaps with "society" and is a dynamic process dependent on multiple interacting actors (including humans, technology, institutions, and nature).
  • The concept of technology and the human-technology relationship within society is complex, with technical and social elements intertwined in dynamic processes.
  • Technologies (and associated practices) are frequently sites of social and political struggle (e.g., arguments about appropriate uses of new technologies, debates about who controls technologies, etc.)
  • Marketization involves re-organizing human practices and social relations with the introduction of new technologies.
  • Some examples of this include shifting relations (e.g., producers and consumers) and changing types of organizations.
  • The notion of "political" itself is multifaceted: including new notions / types like subpolitics, deliberative assemblies, sovereignty, governmentality, and the role of power in producing knowledge.

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