A Study of Technological Intentionality in C++ and Generative Adversarial Model: Phenomenological and Postphenomenological Perspectives

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight the life of computer technologies to understand what kind of ‘technological intentionality’ is present in computers based upon the phenomenological elements constituting the objects in general. Such a study can better explain the effects of new digital technologies on our society and highlight the role of digital technologies by focusing on their activities. Even if Husserlian phenomenology rarely talks about technologies, some of its aspects can be used to address the actions performed by the digital technologies by focusing on the objects’ inner ‘life’ thanks to the analysis of passive synthesis and phenomenological horizons in the objects. These elements can be used in computer technologies to show how digital objects are ‘alive.’ This paper focuses on programs developed through high-order languages like C++ and unsupervised learning techniques like ‘Generative Adversarial Model.’ The phenomenological analysis reveals the computer’s autonomy within the programming stages. At the same time, the conceptual inquiry into the digital system’s learning ability shows the alive and changeable nature of the technological object itself.

Postphenomenological variation of instrumental realism on the "problem of representation"

“…Moreover, scientific instruments are never neutral because they mediate our access to the world, transform our perception, and thus -shape the process of knowledge production (Liberati, 2016;Mykhailov, 2020). As a result, when realists and constructivists focus their attention on the one pole of the 'representational' schema (either on the reality or on the social practices), instrumental realists insist that we should better concentrate on the transformative role of the instruments that are actively mediating (and co-shaping) both poles together (Aydin et al, 2018;Kudina, 2021;Mykhailov & Liberati, 2022).…”

Science fiction literature and its role in society, research, and academia

“…Thank you very much for accepting the interview on such an important topic as the role of science fiction in our era. As you know, my research is on the effects of digital technologies, and I think science fiction is a valuable source to explore the implementations of new digital technologies in our society (Liberati 2022;Bonfiglioli 2021;Mykhailov and Liberati 2022).…”

Embodied artificial intelligence in science fiction

“…7 I can leave aside for the purposes of this paper the details of PIT and the different versions of this theory. For an overview see(Bourget & Mendelovici, 2017;Kriegel, 2013).8 For a different approach to the concept of intentionality see(Mykhailov & Liberati, 2022). These authors draw on Husserl's theory of passive synthesis to claim that objects too have intentionality, i.e., direction towards other objects and towards subjects, in this way accounting for the various effects that objects have on subjects.…”

“…If in the future we are able to create artefacts with artificial phenomenal consciousness -a possibility that I will discuss shortly -then we will be faced with tecnological objects that are also subjects. Anyway, highlighting the fact that technologies have an active dimension and are not just passively experienced by human beings,Mykhailov & Liberati (2022) offer a significant contribution to our understanding of the impact of technologies on our lives.…”