Description

Thom Scott-Philips (ILCLI - Ikerbasque): "Expectation loops."

September 21, 2023. 3:00 pm.

Venue: "Batzar Aretoa" / "Salón de Juntas" of the Philosophy Department (HEFA building, second floor)

Abstract:

Many social phenomena are effectively 'universal', but are unlikely to be 'innate' parts of the human mind. Examples include symbols, norms, basic technologies, linguistic constructions, and notions of commitment, ownership and responsibility. Where do these things come from? More broadly, how do the interactions of many individuals generate the building blocks of society and culture? I will introduce and provide examples of 'Expectation loops', in which the expectations that individuals have about others are self-reinforcing. Armed with the notion of an expectation loop, we can trace causal links from the design of the human mind to the structure of society.