[Air-L] Public Lecture with Dr Sun-ha Hong - "Predictions without Futures" - Monday 14 August - Melbourne Law School and online

[Christopher O'Neill]

Please join us for a free public lecture from Dr Sun-ha Hong (Simon Fraser
University):

"Predictions Without Futures"
Date: Monday 14 August
Reception: 5:30pm
Lecture: 6:00pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre G08 - Melbourne Law School,185 Pelham St, Carlton
Online attendance also available

*Register here - *https://events.humanitix.com/predictions-without-futures

Abstract: Our dominant technological futures help maintain decrepit
horizons of the social. As Brecht once observed: "I stood on a hill and I
saw the Old approaching, but it came as the New." Prediction supplies a
powerful conceptual model for this dynamic of stasis through disruption by
connecting technical and mythological attitudes of probabilistic control. I
trace some throughlines between the technical conceit of predictivity (that
criminality or emotion can be anticipated through data-driven modeling) and
the mythological use of prediction (where history is an extrapolation of
known technological advancements). Drawing from theories of ritual and
experiment, I examine the demonstrative, belief-building work that
prediction does - from 18th century automata to Amazon warehouses, from
Marvin Minsky to the Year 10,000. What we call "tech" today serves as a
legitimising function for capital, and crucial to this function is the
active foreclosure of any political future other than more of the same.

Bio: Sun-ha Hong examines forms of uncertainty, doubt and belief around
surveillance, smart machines & AI. He is Assistant Professor in
Communication at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and was previously Mellon
Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities at MIT. Sun-ha is the author of
*Technologies
of Speculation: The Limits of Knowledge in a Data-Driven Society* (2020),
and is working on his next book, *Predictions Without Futures*.
Sun-ha Hong is hosted by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated
Decision-Making and Society. For more information please contact Dr
Christopher O'Neill <chris.oneill at monash.edu>

-- 

*CHRISTOPHER O'NEILL (he/him**)*
PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated
Decision Making and Society)

*Monash University*
School of Media, Film and Journalism
Building B, Room B3.20, Caulfield campus
Monash University
Caulfield East, Victoria 3145
Australia

T: +61 3 9903 2433
E: chris.oneill at monash.edu <name.surname at monash.edu>

monash.edu/arts/media-film-journalism <http://monash.edu>

CRICOS Provider: Monash University 00008C/01857J

We acknowledge and pay respects to the Elders and Traditional Owners of the
land on which our four Australian campuses stand. Information for
Indigenous Australians <https://www.monash.edu/indigenous-australians>