Events

Agora Speaker Series

Intelligence: From AI to ZI

Speaker: Professor Shaun Gallagher
Date: Wednesday, 14 January, 2026
Abstract: The concept of zero-intelligence (ZI) agents has been developed as part of the project of simulating market design in economics (Gode & Sunder 1993). It’s also been put to use by Andy Clark in his work on extended mind. I argue that this concept is useful for defining the notion of intelligence in a contrastive analysis between (a) non-human agents with purportedly minimal intelligence, (b) humans, and (c) AI, as well as for clarifying models of skilled performance. I’ll argue that even in so-called mindless performance or minimal/ZI agency, intelligence is never zero, but is rather distributed across various factors and highly dependent on embodied processes. To show this I'll appeal to the science of myrmecology and suggest that we can learn a lot from ants.

Towards an Epistemology of Artificial Mathematical Reasoning

Speaker: Dr Markus Pantsar
Date: Thursday, 5 April, 2026
Abstract: In 2025, both Google DeepMind and OpenAI reported that their large language model (LLM)-based AI systems had achieved gold medal level performance in the International Mathematical Olympiad. In addition, together with research mathematicians, DeepMind has made reported progress in solving research-level mathematical problems with their AI system. These developments suggest that in the near future important parts of mathematical theorem proving may be outsourced to LLM-based AI systems, what AI developers call large reasoning models (LRM). However, the LRMs still commonly make errors in simple reasoning tasks, prompting questions about their reliability as mathematical (and other) tools. In this talk, I want to take first steps toward establishing an epistemology of artificial mathematical reasoning, in order to set up a systematic framework for studying mathematical reasoning in AI systems. 

Artificial Agency and the Requirement of Individuality

Speaker: Associate Professor Katsunori Miyahara
Date: Thursday, 12 April, 2026
Abstract: Debate regarding the potential for AI systems to possess genuine agency is gaining significant traction, with some theorists arguing that current systems already qualify as agents (Butlin 2023; Dung 2025). I present a novel challenge to the attribution of artificial agency, focusing specifically on AI chatbots powered by Large Language Models (LLMs). While typical debates explore whether AI possesses specific capacities definitive of agency, I argue that AI chatbots fail a more fundamental ontological requirement: they lack individuality. To establish this, I demonstrate that AI chatbots fail the test of formal atomicity: unlike true individuals, dividing an AI chatbot invariably yields more chatbots of the same kind. Consequently, I argue that the first necessary step towards genuine artificial agency must be the development of artificial systems with intrinsic individuality.

Pleonexia and Public/Private Health Systems

Speaker: Dr Kathryn Mackay
Date: Thursday, 16 April 2026
Abstract: ‘Pleonexia’ is an ancient Greek term that means taking or wanting to take more than is one’s due, or avoiding or wanting to avoid contributing what one justly owes. Importantly, pleonexia is connected to justice and not just to appetite. It demands to know, what are you rightly owed, or what do you rightly owe in turn? In this paper, I use the idea of pleonexia to interrogate the common practice in Australia whereby physicians and specialists trained in the public healthcare system exit the public system immediately upon completing their training, for an exclusively private healthcare practice. I argue that this is a case of pleonexia but not simply in the positive sense of wanting more money or status (though these may be involved). Here, I will focus on the other side of pleonexia involved in this case, of not contributing what one justly owes, and leaving the system worse off as a result.

Liberating Conversations Series

Thinking About and With AI

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 1 April, 2026

This session explores how artificial intelligence is changing the way we think, learn, and solve problems — and what that means for us. It shows how AI can be a powerful tool for learning and creativity, but can also mislead and diminish us if we rely on it too much or use it badly. Does AI really think and understand, or does it just produce answers that seem impressive? We will explore how to think about and with AI, how to use these tools responsibly, and how to build skills that matter for future study, work, and life.

Why Value Global Philosophy?

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 8 April, 2026

This session explores how engaging with philosophical traditions from across cultures can reshape the way we think about knowledge, values, and understanding. It asks whether philosophy is truly universal, or shaped by particular histories, perspectives, and systems of power. We will consider how global philosophy broadens intellectual horizons, challenges assumptions, and supports more inclusive and reflective ways of thinking.

Why Engage With Fiction?

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 15 April, 2026

This session explores how engaging with fiction can shape the way we think, feel, and understand others. It considers how stories develop imagination, empathy, and perspective, and what they can teach us about ourselves and the world. Is fiction merely entertainment, or does it play a deeper role in how we make sense of reality? We will explore how fiction can inform ethical reflection, expand understanding, and contribute to meaningful ways of thinking about the human experience.

Is There More to Life Than Pleasure?

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 22 April, 2026

This session explores whether a good life is defined by pleasure alone. Is hedonism a realistic approach to life, or do deeper values like meaning, truth, and fulfilment matter more? We will examine the life of pleasure and contrast it with a life aimed toward seeking the truth, exploring challenges raised by Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Nozick’s experience machine, and The Matrix. Doing so will allow us to consider how to distinguish appearances from reality, and to ask what makes life genuinely worth living.

What Are Universities For?

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 29 April, 2026

This session explores the purpose of universities beyond mere vocational training. We will explore the role of higher education in developing critical thinking, intellectual independence, and cultivating a person’s character, rather than just training specialists for a specific job. Drawing on traditions of liberal education, it will ask what it means to be an educated person today, and how universities can support curiosity, open inquiry, and thoughtful and respectful engagement with diverse ideas.

Other events 

UOW Expanding Minds Research Series

Speakers: Benedetta Cogo, Marco Degano, Dr Marco Facchin, Jorge Gomez, Senior Professor Dan Hutto, Professor Michael Kirchhoff, Dr Kate Nave, Professor Erik Myin
Date: Thursday, 26 February — Friday, 27 April, 2026

The Expanding Minds Research Series is a platform for academics based at and visiting the University of Wollongong to share their latest research and scholarship. This workshop focuses on topics across the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of biology, and the philosophy of AI. Speakers will address topics including: phenomenology and skilled action, animal cognition, the evolution of communication, the role of place and environment in shaping mental processes, and how insights from biology and philosophy might inform our understanding of AI and generative models.

Gandalf, Tom Sawyer, and Mammoth Hunting: Academic Leadership That Delivers

Speaker: Senior Professor Daniel D. Hutto
Date: Wednesday, 22 April, 2026

A talk on leadership featuring special guest, Roger Esnard, co-creator of Space Infantry. This talk examines some practical approaches I have used over the years in leading academic teams. I will discuss how to motivate teams without managing them, why campaigns rather than committees get things done, and how to engage people in high-value collective projects that focus energy and get results.