[SydPhil] MQ Philosophy Work in Progress Seminar 31st of March Brian Ballsun-Stanton (Macquarie University)

[Emily Hughes]

Dear all,

You are warmly invited to the next MQ Philosophy Work in Progress (WIP)
seminar which will be given by *Brian Ballsun-Stanton (Macquarie
University)*

The details are as follows:
Date: Tuesday 31st of March
Time:   13:00-14:00
Room: 17WW 113

*Title: An Absence of Judgment: AI’s Limitations in Deep Research tasks*

*Abstract:* This paper introduces the concept of "technoscholasticism" to
analyse fundamental limitations in AI research tools. Through
autoethnographic investigation of frontier models deployed in February
2025, we demonstrate that these systems, despite claims of "agentic"
capabilities, lack three crucial dimensions of judgment: epistemic
humility, inductive capacity, and correspondence with reality. Like
medieval scholastics, these tools privilege textual authority over critical
assessment of knowledge claims, explaining their inability to generate
novel insights despite vast information access. While acknowledging
potential "mundane utility" for specific research tasks, we propose
architectural and methodological requirements for more effective research
tools that acknowledge these inherent constraints and integrate human
judgment at critical junctures. These findings contribute to both
theoretical understanding of AI epistemology and practical approaches to
scholarly tool design.

Further information about the seminar series including the zoom link and
details on future talks can be found at the seminar webpage:
https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/cvWBC4QOPEimz1r3AIOfOS4W0Ab?domain=mqphilosophy.github.io
<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/GFX-C5QPXJixMGA4YFOhRSkyD6f?domain=aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com>

We look forward to seeing you there.


*Dr Emily Hughes *(she/her)

ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Fellow in Philosophy

School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts

Michael Kirby Building, 17 Wally's Walk

Level 2, Room 233

Macquarie University – Wallumattagal Campus, Dharug Country

NSW 2109 Australia

E: emily.hughes at mq.edu.au

W: https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/4lNUC6XQ4Lf1PKX8lcmiqS5nwyz?domain=researchers.mq.edu.au



*I acknowledge that Macquarie University stands on the land of the Dharug
Nation, land that was never ceded. I pay my respects to the Dharug
people, the Wallumattagal clan, and their Elders past and present. Always
was, always will be, Aboriginal land.*