Tampere IAS Open Colloquium “Human–Non-human”, 8 October 2025

Tampere IAS Open Colloquium “Human–Non-human”

Time: Wednesday, 8 October 2025, at 13:30-17:00
Place: Tampere University, City Centre Campus, Main Building, Café Toivo & Aula, 2nd floor

Many observers believe that there is a fundamental convergence going on between humanity and technology, making the boundary between the two blurry. Risks associated with some next generation manifestations seem to be rising to a new level. On the other hand, there seems to be no doubt about technology being a driver for increasing wellbeing also in the future.

Four IAS Senior Research Fellows coming from a wide variety of scientific backgrounds will explore history, trends, risks, and benefits of the developments in the non-human sphere that may (or may not) change what being human entails.

The colloquium will be chaired by Senior Research Fellow Kati Juuti-Uusitalo.

Programme:

Opening of the Colloquium

Juha Teperi

Thinking Beyond the Human: Mechanical Automata and Societal Upheaval in the Romantic Era”

Asko Nivala 

From Margins to Mainstream: Technologies Enabling Inclusive Communication

Johanna Virkki 

Towards Human-interpretable AI Systems

Antti Kuusisto 

Beyond the Birthday Calendar: The Science of Biological Aging

Juulia Jylhävä