Daniel Gervais’ fascinating book ‘Forever’ depicts a scenario in which technology allows humans to live forever. With the use of AI, the border that has traditionally separated fact, or ‘nonfiction’, and fiction has become increasingly porous. Think of posts on social media by bots pretending to be human, altered photos and videos, including deep fakes. Science-fiction has always held a special place in this divide; it is often the nonfiction of tomorrow. In this book, the author crosses the border in both directions, using fiction to teach the law of AI by asking the reader to follow Christine Jacobs, a law professor, and her students, in discussing what it means to be human in the age of AI, humanoid robots, and cyborgs as her boyfriend prepares the world for what’s next. Crisscrossed by world travel, peppered with fine food and wines, filled with Russian poetry and cinema, and reflections about life and death, this book invites the reader to a world in which technology allows humans to live forever as long as they are willing to die first. The idea of transferring humans into humanoid bodies has been the theme for many eminent titles. This books unique contribution is its exploration of the legal questions and embedded philosophical issues that flow from being able to transfer a copy of a person’s mind into a synthetic body that lives forever.

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Date: 5 October 2023
Place: IViR room, REC A5.24
Programme:

• 16:00 Coffee/tea, snacks
• 16:30 Book launch with Daniel Gervais
• 17:30 Closing

In case you intend to join the book launch, please send an e-mail to Melinda Rucz (m.rucz@uva.nl).