SDF

The advent of new technologies has profound ramifications for the way we think and behave. What, then, is this digital world and its hyperconnectedness for and where is it headed?

Captivated by such terms as "openness," "collaboration" and a "new ecosystem," the narratives of “coexistence” are defining a new zeitgeist and a key formula for survival in the digital era. Information technology is gearing toward enabling a better life by aiming for broader inclusion and bringing together more diverse voices; now more than ever, the world is in an earnest quest for technologies that are not just smarter, but more humane and compassionate.

Amid these currents, how can we forge a world where technologies become more humanized and real, virtual worlds more naturally merge together, the values of the analog era are still preserved, and humanistic digital technologies help narrow the gaps between various groups and generations?

What have so far typically grabbed the limelight have been the newly developed technologies and the people in the vanguard of that technological advancement.
We have been pouring too much of our energy into keeping apace with rapid changes while unwittingly or tacitly postponing in-depth discussions on technology-induced challenges. It’s high time that we turned our long-overdue attention to the direction in which technology is headed, and the values it brings to our world. It is due time to put the technologies around us under close scrutiny and measure their impact, drawing on the framework of Oriental humanism that interweaves science, religion and ethics as well as aesthetics.

- What new wonders of technology are before us and how will they shape our future?
- What is the nature of the Big Data society and how can we make the most out of it? What are the potential pitfalls, and what is the future of data privacy?
- Is it possible to make appropriate technology (AT) sustainable?
- What roles can such technologies as speech recognition and interface design play in making technology more people-friendly?
- Is SNS a facilitator of online democracy or of mob rule?
- What types of data should be shared and open, and how much? Copyright or copyleft: which way to go?
- How can we forge a new ecosystem for both corporations and consumers?
- How do different technologies foster or threaten the emerging era of coexistence?

At SDF2012, we will delve into the new conditions and initiatives for coexistence and explore how we can coevolve with technologies and find ways to better understand and serve the great hope of humanity for a better world.