Fourth Industrial Revolution – Johannesburg, South Africa

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) logo

The University of the Witwatersrand hosts 4IR:PHEL: 4IR:Philosophical, Ethical, Legal Dimensions Sept. 3–5, 2019.Abstracts were due by June 15.

The conference aims to bring together scholars from a range of disciplines to discuss the philosophical, ethical, and legal questions raised by the onset of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ and its emerging technologies. These technologies are wide ranging. Some, such as the various narrow artificial –intelligence technologies, have a long history while others, such as the techniques for big data, have made a more recent appearance. Similarly, the philosophical, ethical, and legal questions to which these technologies give rise are, in some cases, long standing and and recent technologies have lead to a novel reconsideration of them. In other cases, the questions are wholly new.

It is hoped that the conference will provide an opportunity for those with a research interest in the philosophical, ethical, or legal dimensions of these technologies to come together for a rigorous and engaged discussion.

About the author

Reference librarian, University of Washington School of Law