Strachey Lecture: The Quest for Truth in the Information Age Computer Science

The advantages of computing for society are tremendous. But while new technological developments emerge, we also witness a number disadvantages and unwanted side-effects. The advantages of computing for society are tremendous. But while new technological developments emerge, we also witness a number disadvantages and unwanted side-effects: from the speed with which fake news spreads to the formation of new echo-chambers and the enhancement of polarization in society. It is time to reflect upon the successes and failures of collective rationality, particularly as embodied in modern mechanisms for mass information-aggregation and information-exchange. What can the study of the social and epistemic benefits and costs, posed by various contemporary mechanisms for information exchange and belief aggregation, tell us? I will use Logic and Philosophy to shed some light on this topic. Ultimately we look for an answer to the question of how we can ensure that truth survives the information age?