Thursday, 25 October 2018
18:30-19:30
Gullivers
SciBar: October
The first SciBar of the 2018/19 series is with Dr. James Sumner, Lecturer in the History of Technology at University of Manchester.
October's topic is: From "robot brain" to "fast-reacting idiot": post-war visions of computers and machine intelligence
The first press coverage of electronic computers in 1946 tapped into much older hopes and fears about the future, from dreams of an automated leisure society to nightmares of mass unemployment or robotic overloads. This talk probes how these ideas spread among public audiences, and how scientists have tried to harness and change them.
This event will take place on Thursday 25th October from 6:30pm onwards. The talk will last around 30 mins, followed by a question and answer session and the chance for further discussion while enjoying a few drinks in the cosy settings of the Gullivers pub. No scientific background needed, just turn up and join in!
* Please note the change of venue for SciBar. The new venue for this year will be Gullivers, 109 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LW