Final CFP, The 9th AISB Symposium on Computing and Philosophy: Artificial Sexuality

AISB Convention, University of Sheffield, UK, from 4-6th April 2016
The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour (AISB)
Symposium Website


OVERVIEW:
 
Sexual activity is central to our very existence; it shapes how we think, how we act and how we live. It is deeply embedded in our society. With cognitive systems development being heavily influenced by human cognition, perception, and interaction, should sexual behaviour and sexuality be part of that influence? Previous research has examined what might happen to us if we form close relationships with machines and intelligent systems. We feel that this is only one aspect of what we term Artificial Sexuality, and suggest that there are multiple and equally important strands that have not yet been fully explored, including – but by no means limited to – modelling sex and cognition, embodiment, gender issues, reproduction, ethics, and law.

With cognitive computing trying to find a way for machines to learn and think, much of the research looks towards humans to understand our own cognitive processes. However, sexuality and sexual behaviour is largely ignored within the discipline despite its central role in human biological and social behaviour. Indeed the relation between sexuality, identity and intelligence is often presumed in evolutionary accounts of human development. Yet, given the hopes and aims of having a machine that is - for example - creative, could we also have a machine that could desire? And if so, what implications might lead from that in terms of sexuality, gender identity, and reproduction? For this symposium we will invite papers that engage with such topics, and seek to bring together a number of scholarly fields including computing, AI, philosophy, and psychology.



TOPICS OF INTEREST:



These include, but are not limited to: AI and sex/sexuality; gender and technology; robot companions; cognitive systems; human cognition, perception, interaction; machine relationships; modelling sex and cognition; embodiment; ethics; law; identity; machine reproduction.


SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION DETAILS:


Submissions by full paper or extended abstract, via EasyChair.

Text editor templates from a previous convention can be found here.

We request that submitted papers are limited to eight pages, with a minimum of 2 pages for extended abstracts. Each paper will receive at least two reviews. Accepted papers will be published in the general proceedings of the AISB Convention, with the proviso that at least ONE author attends the symposium in order to present the paper and participate in general symposium activities. Papers are sought on topics related to the symposium content, although other submissions (posters and panels, for instance) may also be considered.



IMPORTANT DATES:

      i.         Full paper submission deadline: 18 January 2016 [extended deadline]

     ii.         Notification of acceptance/rejection decisions: 28 February 2016

   iii.         Final versions of accepted papers (Camera ready copy): 7 March 2016

    iv.         Publications copyright form from all authors: 14th March 2016

     v.         Convention: 4 - 6 April 2016 Goldsmiths; symposium date to be confirmed [likely 4 &/or 5 April]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:



There will be separate proceedings for each symposium, produced before the Congress, and available to conference delegates. In previous years there have been awards for the best student paper, and limited student bursaries. These details will be circulated as and when they become available, but queries on this or other issues to do with the convention should be directed to the convention organisers. Authors of a selection of the best papers may be invited to submit an extended version of the work to a journal special issue.

 
SYMPOSIUM ORGANISING COMMITTEE (OC):
 
Dr Yasemin J Erden, Philosophy, St Mary's University, Twickenham (chair)
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Prof. Mark Bishop, Computing, Goldsmiths, University of London.
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Dr Kate Devlin, Computing, Goldsmiths, University of London.
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Dr Christine Campbell, Psychology, St Mary's University, Twickenham. 
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Dr Stephen Rainey, CCSR, De Montfort University, Leicester.
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Prof Richard Huxtable, Centre for Ethics in Medicine, University of Bristol.
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Monica Dionis, Independent Researcher.
 
 
Some key links (if you have trouble accessing embedded text):
https://stmarysphilosophy.wordpress.com/aisb/
http://www.sheffieldrobotics.ac.uk/events/aisb-2016/
http://www.aisb.org.uk/
https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=aisb16aisex

http://www.aisb.org.uk/convention/aisb08/download.html