Technologies such as AI demand not just technical expertise but also understanding of human history and values without which any solutions proposed risk being shallow or even harmful, Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan said on Thursday while opening the Jaipur Literature Festival. The biggest celebration of literature started its 18th edition at Hotel Clarks Amer in the Pink City with the structural biologist proposing the need to bridge the divide between the arts and sciences.
As diverse streams of art, music, tradition, literature and sciences of India and the world flowed into a vast sea of listeners across age, race, class and gender at the festival, Ramakrishnan pushed for greater empathy in his keynote address.
Quoting English novelist C P Snow’s influential essay “The Two Cultures”, he said science and mathematics have become “seemingly unintelligible” and “almost magical” to those outside the anointed few.
“We live in an age dominated by technological advancements from artificial intelligence to gene editing to climate science. Many of these innovations have the potential to reshape human existence in profound ways. But, as Snow warned in 1959, the general public often lack even basic scientific literacy,” Ramakrishnan said.
He added that even scientists can barely grasp these advances outside their “narrow” specialities.
At a time issues such as employment, food security, preparation for future pandemics and increasingly sophisticated weaponry gain centrestage, technologies like AI and genetic engineering carry tremendous promise as well as tremendous risks.
“All of these require more than just technical expertise, they demand empathy and understanding of human history, culture and values. Without that broader context the solutions we propose risk being shallow, shortsighted or even harmful,” the 72-year-old noted.
“Scientists alone cannot make decisions that affect us all.” According to him, there is need for the humanities, literature, philosophy, and history “to provide us with the framework to grapple with the moral ethical and social implications of the scientific inventions were making”.
In his view, instead of making people specialise too early, a broad curriculum that includes both sciences and humanities should be introduced to create a “broadly literate” population.
“Such a population will at least have the basis to debate intelligently about the issues of the day and be less susceptible to being manipulated by demagogues and misinformation,” he said.
To tackle highly complex issues with technical, political and social aspects, there's need to bring people from diverse fields who can work together, Ramakrishnan said.
“They take into account all the various angles. Literature and other parts of the humanities like history have a great part in helping to break down these barriers. Scientists and science writers on their part can help communicate complex ideas to the general public while also being sensitive to their social consequences.” “Perhaps those in the humanities can become more aware of how science works and incorporate that into their stories and history.” Snow’s essay explores the dangers of intellectual isolation and the urgency of fostering a culture where knowledge, curiosity and creativity are not confined to separate worlds.
“The future depends on our ability to bridge these divides. The JLF is a wonderful bridge but we need many such bridges including in our educational system. So I should say let the conversation begin to start bridging the divide,” Ramakrishnan said.
JLF this year features a lineup of over 300 luminaries such as Nobel laureates, Booker Prize-winners, journalists, policymakers, and acclaimed writers. The participants include Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Dufflo, Amol Palekar, Ira Mukhoty, Geetanjali Shree, David Hare, Manav Kaul, Javed Akhtar, Rahul Bose, Yuvan Aves, Shahu Patole, and Kallol Bhattacharjee.
The festival will feature sessions with focus on themes such as democracy and equality to examine the timeless quest for justice and the truths behind constitutional ideals, while the crime fiction segment will bring thrilling narratives of mystery and suspense, and the biographies and memoirs section promises to offer intimate insights into extraordinary lives.
For food enthusiasts, the gastronomy theme will celebrate culinary traditions and flavours that unite cultures across borders. Additionally, sessions on theatre adaptations, cinema, history, and culture will present an array of perspectives, celebrating the diverse narratives that shape the global collective heritage.
The festival will also host the likes of Andrew O'Hagan, Benjamin Moser, David Nicholls, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, Gideon Levy, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Imtiaz Ali, Jenny Erpenbeck, James Wood, Priyanka Mattoo, Sunit Amrith, Tina Brown, Prayaag Akbar, Philip Marsden, Manu S Pillai, and Susan Jung.
The concurrent Jaipur BookMark (JBM) publishing conclave will celebrate its 12th year with a focus on translations, storytelling innovations, and the role of Al in shaping the future of publishing.
Jaipur Music Stage (JMS) will feature music performances by popular artistes and ensembles, including Kailash Kher's Kailasa, The Amir Khusrau Project by Abhijit Pohankar, Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein by Dastaan LIVE, Kamakshi Khanna, Susheela Raman & Sam Mills, Nathoo Lal Solanki & Chugge Khan, and Hrishi.
The festival ends on February 3.
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