Debates - GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar

Why does it matter?

Humanity is facing global challenges, putting people and the planet under stress. At the same time, the world is experiencing breakthroughs in science and technological discoveries, such as advanced AI, genome editing, or synthetic biology, that expand human knowledge at an unprecedented pace. This will reshape the way human beings think about themselves, relate to each other and society and interact with the environment, our planet and its resources.

Considering this, the vision of GESDA — to use the future to build the present — raises a series of essential questions about the future of humanity and the main challenges of the 21st century: 1. Who are we, as humans? What does it mean to be human in the era of robots, gene editing and augmented reality? 2. How can we all live together? Which technology deployments can help reduce inequality and foster inclusive development and well-being? 3. How can we ensure the well-being of humankind and the sustainable future of our planet? How can we supply the world population with the necessary food and energy while regenerating our planet?

This has been recognised by GESDA since its formation and is part of its initial roadmap 2020–2022. Answering those questions requires continuous interactions with key thinkers from philosophy, the humanities and the arts, as well as two-way engagements with the broader public.

Debate 1: The Philosophical Compass – Three Questions for Tomorrow

The vision of GESDA — to use the future to build the present — and the anticipation of scientific breakthroughs at five, ten and 25 years raise a series of essential questions, ultimately for an improved human experience of life, and on a healthy planet.

Debate 2: The Pulse of Society on Three Questions for Tomorrow

Taking the pulse of society is an attempt to listen what citizens are saying, building on a dataset of 11 million social media posts and over 6 million news articles and blogs.

Debate 3: The Pulse of Society on Frontier Issues

Taking the pulse of society is an attempt to listen what citizens are saying, building on a dataset of 11 million social media posts and over 6 million news articles and blogs.

This section deals with these three fundamental questions. It is an initial assessment of debates around those issues as seen by: - scholars from philosophy, the humanities and the arts brought together by GESDA to form the embryo of a philosophical compass that will be put in place in the months to come; - citizens expressing themselves on social networks via an AI-powered social media and news analysis tool, understood as a ‘Pulse of Society’.

The range of issues considered for taking this Pulse of Society includes the three questions about the future of humanity as well as the four scientific frontier issues of “Advanced AI and Quantum Revolution”, “Human Augmentation”, “Eco-Regeneration and Geo-Engineering” and “Science and Diplomacy”. It provides a real-time snapshot on the topics driving the discussions on social networks and the current global sentiment about perceived trends.

The Debates section is designed as an input to the upcoming exchanges on the development of potential initiatives as well as to the identification of new emerging scientific topics to be included in the next edition of the GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar. The ambition is to extend it into a truly interactive digital tool in order not only to listen to what the media and the citizens are saying on a given issue, but also to engage in a dialogue with the relevant global communities. This is a pre-condition for Anticipatory Science and Diplomacy to effectively contribute to a new and inclusive form of multilateralism: it must listen to as well as interact with a broad and diverse range of representatives from all relevant communities, be they scientists, diplomats, policy makers, executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, artists, journalists, community leaders or citizens.