Il Corso
Since the advent of computers, scientific theories can be expressed not only in words or mathematical symbols, as was formerly the case, but can be translated into computer programmes that reproduce reality in the form of simulations. Formulating scientific theories as simulations is useful in all branches of science, but it is especially useful for the sciences of human behaviour and societies, because when these sciences, with the exception of economics, formulate their theories in words, the terminology is often imprecise and is open to different interpretations. The course begins with an explanation of what simulation of humans and societies means, what the advantages and potential ones are and the progress that has been made so far. This general introduction is followed by specific simulations that reproduce the way humans develop their behaviours (biological evolution, development, learning, imitation, cultural evolution), the relationship between the cognitive, motivational and emotional aspects of behaviour, individual differences, language, thinking, social behaviour, differences between men and women, the nature and role of family, possession and wealth, exchange of goods, the emergence of currency and organisation for production of goods, the economic and political role of the State, and simulations of historical phenomena will also be described. The last part of the course investigates the social utility of simulations when they are translated into Digital environments with a user-friendly and motivating interface that enables anyone to find out more about the world they live in.
Prof. Domenico Parisi
Domenico Parisi lavora all’Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione del CNR a Roma, dove si occupa di simulazioni del comportamento umano e delle società umane. È stato direttore dell’Istituto dal 1986 al 1994 e ha insegnato psicologia in varie università italiane e all’Università di California a Berkeley. Ha pubblicato libri in italiano e inglese e, di recente, Future Robots: Towards a robotic science of human beigns (Amsterdam, Benjamins). I robot gli interessano non tanto per le loro applicazioni pratiche ma perché sono una nuova scienza degli esseri umani basata sul principio che se riusciamo a costruire robot che fanno, sentono e pensano tutto quello che fanno, sentono e pensano gli esseri umani, allora possiamo dire di avere spiegato gli esseri umani nel modo in cui la scienza spiega ogni altro fenomeno della realtà. Inoltre i robot possono aiutare gli esseri umani a capire i difficili problemi che oggi hanno di fronte e a cercare soluzioni per questi problemi.
