Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence

offline + online

Philosophy of [Artificial] Intelligence

When:

May 14—30, 2025

Format:

Offline in Kyiv [with an option to join online]

Registration deadline:

May 11

Fee:

Donation from ₴1000 to CF “Reactive Post”

About

Join us in exploring how the mind works – both human and artificial. This intensive course offers a fresh way to understand AI, not through complex formulas, but through scientific and philosophical lenses.

The intensive will take place offline in Kyiv, with the option to join online. The final session will feature an interactive meetup with participant debates, expert guests, and quality networking.

Participation is free for active military and veterans. Just upload a photo of a service document in the registration form.

Who is it for:

AI/ML engineers, data scientists, and product managers
IT professionals interested in the philosophical and cognitive foundations of AI
Researchers, educators, and students in philosophy, the humanities, and interdisciplinary fields
Anyone curious about consciousness, thinking, learning, semantics, and the philosophy of technology
Those who want to deepen their understanding of human and artificial intelligence through ideas – not formulas
*No background in math or programming is required. Spots are limited

To participate:

Please read the Participation Guidelines, fill out the registration form, and wait for a confirmation email
Once your participation is confirmed, make a donation of at least 1000 UAH to the “Reaktyvna Poshta” Charitable Foundation

What to expect:

Gain a clear understanding of how modern AI systems work – their capabilities and limitations – without complex jargon
Confidently join discussions around artificial consciousness, understanding, and thought
Explore how classical philosophical ideas have shaped AI, and how today’s technologies challenge timeless questions
Connect with others who share an interest in AI and philosophy, and grow your professional network
Access tools to reflect on modern technology through the lens of classic philosophical questions – no coding required

About format

— The intensive is built around three core themes, each focused on a different aspect of the mind
— It includes 8 lectures, each 45 minutes long
— Additional materials will be shared in a private Slack workspace for all participants

*Please read the Participation Guidelines before registering.

Speaker

Alex Klymenko

CTO at Zibra AI

Oleksandr brings over 15 years of engineering and leadership experience to the table. For 6 of those years, he served as CTO at Esurance, where he played a key role in transforming the company from an early-stage startup into a successful business with multiple strategic partnerships.
In 2023, he joined Zibra AI to lead the company’s technology strategy and streamline operational processes. His expertise spans applied mathematics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning — all underpinned by a deep, ongoing interest in the philosophy of AI.

Partners

Agenda

May 14

Lecture 1. Consciousness: The Problems of Dualism

19:00 – 21:00

— We’ll begin by exploring the classic debate on the mind–body relationship, focusing on arguments in favour of dualism [the idea that mind and body are separate entities].

— A brief overview of the main types of dualism will be followed by a critical analysis of this philosophical tradition.

— We’ll distinguish between access consciousness [the functional and behavioural aspects] and phenomenal consciousness [subjective experience], and introduce the explanatory gap and the so-called hard problem of consciousness.

Lecture 2. Consciousness: Identity Theories

19:00 – 21:00

— Can all aspects of consciousness be explained by analysing the brain? Can subjective experience be identical to neural structures? To explore these questions, we’ll examine the causal closure argument [the idea that all events have purely physical causes].

— The Integrated Information Theory [IIT] will be presented as a leading scientific identity theory, along with its empirical predictions, critiques, and implications for artificial consciousness.

May 15

Lecture 3. Consciousness: Functional and Computational Theories

19:00 – 21:00

— Is consciousness tied to the functions and computations performed by the brain or by AI systems?

— We’ll explore Global Workspace Theory [GWT] by Bernard Baars through the lens of functionalism, with examples from AI architectures developed by LeCun and Bengio.

— The lecture will also cover mental representations, reflexivity, and philosophical views on how information processing becomes conscious.

Lecture 4. Consciousness: Alternative Theories

19:00 – 21:00

— Does consciousness require a more radical explanation? Could mental and physical phenomena be reflections of deeper, more fundamental principles?

— We’ll explore Friston’s Free Energy Principle as a framework for addressing the hard problem of consciousness.

— We’ll also introduce Solms’ Affect Theory as a dual-aspect interpretation of the Free Energy Principle.

May 20

Lecture 5. Semantics & Syntax: Distributional Semantics

19:00 – 21:00

— Can machines truly understand language, or are they merely simulating comprehension? Is large-scale training on text enough for real understanding?

— We’ll examine the Chinese Room thought experiment and consider neural networks as a potential solution to the problem of semantic representation.

— Large language models will be explored as implementations of the distributional hypothesis [the idea that word meaning is shaped by usage context].

Lecture 6. Semantics & Syntax: Embodiment

19:00 – 21:00

— Does understanding require a physical body and interaction with the environment? Is knowledge possible without sensory reference?

— We’ll explore the Active Inference framework in the context of autopoietic enactivism and its implications for AI architecture.

May 28

Lecture 7. Thinking & Learning: The Problem of Induction

19:00 – 21:00

— What is knowledge, and how is it acquired? What role do data play in learning and reasoning processes?

— We’ll focus on Hume’s problem of induction, evaluate the strengths and limitations of pure empiricism, and examine the relationship between associationism and modern neural networks.

— We’ll also consider Popper’s proposed solution and introduce abduction [hypothesis formation] as a central concept in learning and reasoning.

Lecture 8. Thinking & Learning: Computational Approaches to Induction

19:00 – 21:00

— Is simply increasing dataset size enough to improve all cognitive capabilities in large neural networks? To answer this, we’ll examine the cognitive demands of AI systems using the ARC-AGI test as an example.

— We’ll explore Solomonoff induction as an idealised analytical solution and its connection to data compression and intelligence.

— The lecture will also cover program synthesis, neuro-symbolic approaches, and reinforcement learning for large language models, with a focus on the GRPO algorithm.

May 30

Final meetup [In-person only]

18:00 – 21:00

The final session will feature an interactive meetup with participant debates, guest experts, and meaningful networking.

FAQ

Can I attend in person?

Yes! Joining in person gives you a chance to dive deeper into the topic and meet other participants. The venue has a shelter in case of air alerts. If you’re not in Kyiv, you can join online [there won’t be any recordings, so it’s important to join live and on time].
I'm not based in Kyiv – can I still join?

Absolutely. There’s a Zoom option for participants from other cities [to keep things more interactive and in-the-moment, we won’t be sharing any recordings].
On which days will the sessions take place?

May 14, 15, 20, and 28 – from 19:00 to 21:00. The final event will be held in Kyiv on May 30. You’ll receive the full schedule after your participation is confirmed.
What level of background knowledge is required?

The program isn’t just for AI/ML engineers, data scientists, product managers, or IT specialists – it’s also great for researchers, students, and philosophy faculty, or anyone curious about how AI works from scientific and philosophical perspectives rather than complex formulas.
What if I don’t work directly with AI?

That’s completely fine. The program is suitable for researchers, students, and faculty in philosophy and related fields – or anyone curious about how AI works from both scientific and philosophical perspectives.
How much does it cost to join?

We ask participants to make a donation starting from 1000 UAH to the “Reactive Post” Charitable Foundation after their participation is confirmed. Participation is free for active military and veterans – just upload a photo of a service document in the registration form.
How do I register?

Please read the Participation Guidelines, then fill out the registration form. We’ll review applications and send a confirmation email – after that, you can proceed with the donation.
How long does the intensive last?

From May 14 to May 30. The program includes 8 lectures, each 45 minutes long.
Who is leading the intensive?

The instructor is Alex Klymenko – CTO at Zibra AI, with over 15 years of experience in technology, applied mathematics, and AI. His work is deeply rooted in ML and the philosophy of AI.