We have the pleasure to invite you to another research seminar. Thomas Nys will deliver a talk "Self-Determination in the Age of Influence". The meeting will take place on November 13 at 5:30 PM in room 25 at 52 Grodzka Street and via the MS Teams platform.

Abstract

In contemporary life, both online and offline, individuals are subject to a wide range of influences exerted by persons, states, and corporations seeking to shape attitudes, preferences, and decisions. While some forms of influence appear morally innocuous, others strike us as problematic. A familiar way to articulate this concern is to describe certain practices as manipulative or as undermining autonomy.

In this presentation, I examine the conceptual relationship between manipulation and autonomy. How should we understand the moral significance of being influenced, and what distinguishes legitimate forms of persuasion from objectionable forms of manipulation? Drawing on resources from Kant, Hegel, and Mill, I aim to clarify how these philosophical frameworks can illuminate contemporary debates about the ethics of influence.