Special Lecture - "Thinking, Feeling and Interacting in an Accelerating World" by Dr. Claudine Haroche

ABSTRACT:

As Japan transitions into the Reiwa Era, it aims to lead us all toward “Society 5.0,” which will integrate new and supportive technologies into our lives while maintaining a beautiful harmony. To prepare for this future, it is evident that we need the guidance of experts not only in the studies of science and technology. We must also consult experts in the social sciences who are crucial for understanding the way we live and relate to each other in contemporary societies.
To bring this discussion to OIST, Dr. Claudine Haroche will give a lecture on the psychological and social effects of a continuous and accelerating flow of information and communication on the way we think, feel and interact. With the rapid expansion of the internet and the proliferation of social networks, we are required to constantly and purposefully curate our public voice and thus construct and maintain a performance of our identity. We have a tremendous access to knowledge, and our efforts to remain relevant within this barrage of information have promoted the creation of many new and more effective modes of communication. However, it has also supported the formation of closed communities that reinforce harmful prejudices, the propagation of fake news and the generation of more pervasive methods of public shaming. Dr. Haroche’s lecture will discuss some of these issues and then invite a wider discussion with the audience.

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Haroche completed her doctorate in sociology at Paris VII University in 1979 and is now the Director of Research Emeritus at the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) after serving as a senior scientist at CNRS until 2010. Currently, she is a visiting professor at a number of notable Brazilian universities and has authored several books in the fields of sociology and anthropology.