Algorithmic Prediction: Between Statistics and Divination

Elena Esposito at Frei Universitaet Berlin

Recent techniques of prediction are radically changing the relationship with the future and with uncertainty in many areas of our society. Since modernity we address the indeterminacy of the open future with probabilistic tools. The new digital techniques rely on statistics, but both conceptually and practically algorithmic prediction is very different from the probabilistic attitude and the corresponding form of rationality. My analysis will be guided by the observation that the new techniques surprisingly show a fascinating parallelism with the techniques investigated by the studies on divination. My purpose is not to disclose the irrationality of algorithms, but on the contrary to investigate a more extensive form of rationality.

Vortrag in englischer Sprache.