Our Tech, AI and Society Dialogues 

Anthropos Technicus 
(ἄνθρωπος τεχνικός) 

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
Hours: 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: McGill Downtown Campus, Leacock Building, room 110. See map here.

This event is open to the public. Please scroll down to secure your seat.

A shared resources site for Anthropos Technicus readings and other resources has been set up on the Discord app at https://discord.gg/huCCw5CR3C. Please join us!!

Series Description 

This series will delve into the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies that call into question conventional distinctions between human beings and machines. By exploring thought-provoking books and films, we aim to foster engaging discussions and critical thought about the impact of technology on our lives. Each session will focus on a specific work, using it as a springboard to discuss contemporary issues and concerns. 

Session 6: Nexus – A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI 

Overview: Exploring Yuval Noah Harari’s Vision of the Past, Present, and Future of Information

This session explores Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, where historian Yuval Noah Harari traces how information systems have shaped the development of human civilization. From myths and empires to code and algorithms, the book asks who controls the flow of information and what that means for our future.

Using Harari’s work as a springboard, we will reflect on how past revolutions in communication technologies mirror our current challenges with AI, surveillance, and digital control.

Discussion Points:

• Who controls the network? From ancient scribes to modern platforms
• Myths, metadata, and the search for truth in the age of AI
• Propaganda and power across time
• Historical and modern strategies for resisting centralized control
• Is Harari’s vision of AI’s risks warranted?
• Can our existing institutions limit AI’s power?

Recommended Materials:

• Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari. The book is available in the McGill Library or from your favorite bookstore.

Why Attend?

• Discuss how networks of information have shaped power and politics
• Explore how AI fits into historical patterns of control and resistance
• Engage with others on timely questions about data, truth, and agency.

Additional Notes:

• A short slide presentation will frame key themes and scenes
• No prior reading required—come as you are! Dialogue is what makes these sessions special
• A private recording (for internal notes only) will be made; it will not be shared publicly.

This session is open to all!

Our Dialecticians:

Dr. Sue Laver  

Inaugural director of the McGill Writing Centre and a lecturer for many years in McGill’s Department of English, Sue is a Frankenstein aficionado. Her interest in Frankenstein began when she first watched her now longstanding favourite “Frankensteinian” film Blade Runner upon its theatrical release in 1982. Through various courses on the gothic genre and its science fiction spinoffs, Sue has guided hundreds of students through Frankenstein’s philosophical complexities and its afterlife in popular culture, with emphasis on the metaphysical and ethical status of the Monster and its technological descendants. 

Mr Nabil Beitinjaneh

Business Strategist and AI/ML/Analytics Expert. Faculty Lecturer at the McGill School of Continuing Studies, focused on adult learners who want to upskill, guiding learners on their journey to become AI-savvy change-makers. Nabil is engaged in leadership, strategy, and organizational development through events, training, and his service with not-for-profit organizations. He is an ambassador for TechAide which supports Centraide of Greater Montreal, and the president of Le centre culturel syrien. He is also on the leadership team of McCAIS, the SCS' Faculty Advancement Board, and the MMA Advisory Council.

Shape the Conversation
Our Tech, AI and Society Dialogues (Anthropos Technicus) invites experts and enthusiasts to serve as dialecticians. Lead a session, guiding a discussion on a book or topic that explores technology's human impact. To propose a topic or learn more, reach out to Sue or Nabil at the event.
 

This event is a collaboration between the McGill School of Continuing Studies,  the McGill Computational and Data Systems Initiative and the McGill Collaborative for AI & Society.