Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Tuesday 21 March
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Socrates railed against the invention of the alphabet, worrying that the written word would erode human memory. Imagine how he would have felt about Google Maps and iPhone calendar alerts.
Technological revolutions have always spawned both opportunity and panic. Today, digital technology is evolving at an unprecedented rate, and research into its effects on the human brain is struggling to keep apace.
There’s strong evidence to suggest that digital technology really is altering human physiology, affecting our impulse control, attention span, sleeping patterns and, yes, our memory function. But it’s not all bad news, with some research suggesting a link between complex online activities (such as immersive games) and cognitive flexibility.
In the first Question Time session of the year, host Madeleine Morris will be joined by a brains trust of experts to talk brains, technology, policy and wellbeing. It’s one whole hour of audience Q&A, so bring along your own burning question.
Featuring
Madeleine Morris
Madeleine Morris is a Melbourne-based reporter for ABC television’s 7.30. She was formerly a presenter for the BBC in London and reported from dozens of countries before returning to her native Australia. She is the author of Guilt-Free Bottle-Feeding: Why Your Formula-Fed Baby Can Grow Up To Be Happy, Healthy and Smart, published by Finch.
Michael Arnold
Michael Arnold is Associate Professor and Head of Discipline in the History and Philosophy of Science Programme at the University of Melbourne.
Michael Arnold is a Professor in the History and Philosophy of Science programme at the University of Melbourne.
His research activities lie at the intersection of contemporary technologies and daily life; most recently, studies of digital technologies in the context of memorialisation and commemoration, technologies used as alternatives to burial and cremation, and other technologies associated with death. With the interdisciplinary DeathTech team he has co-authored several books and over 100 academic papers on these topics.
Olivia Carter
Olivia Carter is a Professor at the University of Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. She heads the Perception and Pharmacology Lab, where her research focuses on understanding how the brain’s natural chemicals control complex behaviours, thoughts and perceptions. Olivia has a strong interested in understanding the biological basis of consciousness and previously served as Executive Director of the international Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness.