Oct 30, 2024 3:30 PM | Join the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society for the first session of the second cohort of the Soc(AI)ety Seminars, where we will host Subbarao Kambhampati, a professor of computer science at Arizona State University. Large Language Models (LLMs) are on track to reverse what seemed like an inexorable shift of AI from explicit to tacit knowledge tasks. Trained as they are on everything ever written on the web, LLMs exhibit “approximate omniscience”—they can provide answers to all sorts of queries, but with nary a guarantee. This could herald a new era for knowledge-based AI systems—with LLMs taking the role of (blowhard?) experts. But first, we have to stop confusing the impressive form of the generated knowledge for correct content, and resist the temptation to ascribe reasoning, planning, self-critiquing etc. powers to approximate retrieval by these n-gram models on steroids. We have to focus instead on LLM-Modulo techniques that complement the unfettered idea generation of LLMs with careful vetting by model-based AI systems. In this talk, Kambhampati will reify this vision and attendant caveats in the context of the role of LLMs in planning tasks. Light refreshments will be provided for attendees. RSVP is not required but it is encouraged.  RSVP Here! Guest Speaker Bio: Subbarao Kambhampati is a professor of computer science at Arizona State University. Kambhampati studies fundamental problems in planning and decision making, motivated in particular by the challenges of human-aware AI systems. He is a fellow of Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Association for Computing machinery. He served as the president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, a trustee of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, the chair of AAAS Section T (Information, Communication and Computation), and a founding board member of Partnership on AI. Kambhampati’s research as well as his views on the progress and societal impacts of AI have been featured in multiple national and international media outlets. He can be followed on Twitter @rao2z. Originally published at lucyinstitute.nd.edu

Oct 30, 2024 5:00 PM | The Annual Liss Lecture in Judaica, featuring Magda Teter,  Shvidler Chair in Judaic Studies and Professor of History, Fordham University.  Originally published at theology.nd.edu.

Oct 30, 2024 5:30 PM | Join the Ansari Institute as it welcomes back Andrew DeCort, who participated in the Faith in the Story: Religious Futures Workshop held at Notre Dame in December 2022. Andrew will discuss his newly released book and discuss his time in Ethiopia where he founded the Neighbor-Love Movement. About the BookBlessed Are the Others: Jesus' Way in a Violent World by Andrew DeCort is a guide that navigates the teachings of Jesus through the lens of the Beatitudes. It offers a trail to a more fulfilling life through vulnerability, compassion, nonviolence, justice, and peacemaking, challenging conventional understandings of religious blessings and prosperity. Andrew calls this humane happiness. The book is not just about exploring spirituality but also delves into historical and societal context—specifically the influence of political unrest and conflict on the Ethiopian people. It emphasizes the importance of confronting and processing grief and focuses on the societal implications that arise from unresolved pain. Notably, Blessed Are the Others encourages its readers to engage with their pain, promote healing not vengeance, and find solace even amidst suffering. By acknowledging these struggles, the book underscores the transformative power of facing grief with honesty and courage. The book also features real-life examples of individuals like Etty Hillesum and Dietrich Bonhoeffer who chose mercy over judgment in the face of extreme injustice. Blessed Are the Others discusses the seven decisions or way-stations on Jesus' Beatitudinal Way, beginning from poverty and transitioning all the way to persecution. It emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, compassion, and justice, and addresses the hurdles we may encounter on this path. “This book is required reading for those who understand the need for a deep connection between subtle analysis and empowered spirituality, especially as it relates to the prophetic Christian tradition!” – Dr. Cornel West About Andrew DeCortThe Rev. Dr. Andrew DeCort is passionate about human flourishing and challenging trends that further violence. To this end, he founded the Institute for Faith and Flourishing to nurture neighbor-love culture that honors faith and elevates human flourishing, especially for the poor, hated, and forgotten. He also serves as co-director of the Neighbor-Love Movement birthed in Ethiopia and spanning the globe with thousands of signatories committing to daily practices of nonviolence. DeCort holds a Ph.D. in Religious and Political Ethics from the University of Chicago and has worked as a pastor, professor, and peace practitioner in the United States, Europe, and Africa. His first book Bonhoeffer’s New Beginning: Ethics After Devastation was published by Fortress Academic (2018). Andrew’s second book Flourishing on the Edge of Faith: Seven Practices for a New We is published by BitterSweet Collective (2022). His work has appeared in Foreign Policy magazine, the BBC, and other major platforms. Andrew publishes the weekly newsletter Stop & Think and currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Lily.Andrew DeCort will be introduced by Fr. Emmanuel Katongole, an Ansari Institute faculty fellow and a Catholic priest who is an expert on politics and violence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Food and refreshments will be available following the formal portion of the event program. This is a free event and advanced registration is not required. Originally published at ansari.nd.edu.

Oct 30, 2024 7:00 PM | Martina Evans is the author of 13 books of poetry and prose. American Mules (Carcanet 2021) won the Pigott Poetry Prize in 2022. Her latest narrative poem, The Coming Thing, was published by Carcanet in September 2023 and is shortlisted for the Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry. She is an Irish Times poetry critic and fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. This event is co-sponsored by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, the Creative Writing Program, and the Center for Social Concerns. Originally published at irishstudies.nd.edu.