Democracy, AI, and the Freedom to Learn: A Survival Curriculum for the 21st Century (Pt 2)
Part 2: The Liberal Arts as Civic Infrastructure
Zoom registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LTNbXszuRX2LoRL5PaNdAg
Hosted by AltLiberalArts
This second lecture confronts ๐๐-๐๐ง๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅโ๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐) most dangerous insight: humans do not process information purely rationally-we seek belonging, meaning, and coherence. AIRC exploits this by simulating community consensus through networks of false amplifiers, weaponizing our social instincts. In response, this session argues that ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง: critical scrutiny of apparent consensus, ethical reasoning about power and interest, cross-cultural literacy, and epistemic humility. Participants engage with practical pedagogies that help students recognize manipulated information environments and develop the reflexive awareness needed to resist reflexive control.
Dr. Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob is Founding Executive Director of the Global Centre for Rehumanising Democracy (GCRD), where he leads initiatives including the Democracy Discourse Index, Disinformation Observatory, and civic renewal programs. His recent research on AI-Enhanced Reflexive Control, including analysis of Russiaโs Pravda network in Bulgaria (co-authored with Georgi Angelov), reveals how artificial intelligence transforms Soviet-era psychological warfare into systematic manipulation of vulnerable democracies. His work spans peace journalism in conflict zones, communication for social change with UNICEF and the UN, and globally connected pedagogy linking students across continents. A scholar and a Benedictine Spiritual Director, Dr. Jacob brings both technical expertise and personal urgency to questions of democracyโs survival and educationโs role in defending democracy.
