Pedro Simas
Pedro Simas graduated at University of Lisbon as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1991 the same year he obtained a MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Newcastle upon-Tyne, UK. He was awarded in 1994 a PhD in Viral Pathogenesis by the University of Cambridge, UK. His post-doc work was as a Wellcome Trust Fellow from 1994-97 and Post-doctoral Fellow from 1997-1998 at University of Cambridge. He was Assistant Prof. at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto from 1996-2001; Assistant Prof. at Faculty of Medicine University of Lisbon from 2001-2006;
Associate Prof. Faculty of Medicine University of Lisbon from 2006-2021. He was a Principal Investigator at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência from 1999-2004 and Principal Investigator at Instituto de Medicina Molecular from 2004-2021. In 2021 he joined the new Católica Medical School at Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisboa and was appointed Director of the Católica Biomedical Research Centre. Since October 2021 he is a replacement City Councillor and Health Advisor to the Mayor of Lisboa.
«From Hostility to Hospitality: A Path Made with Knowledge»
In the current era, every opinion on any subject is deemed as valid as any other. The evolution of society cycles from being well-informed, marked by the democratization of knowledge, to a state of disinterest, and further to misinformation. We appear to be at the end of a cycle exemplified by the proliferation of fake news and the aggressive dismissal of knowledge with anger. The latter phenomenon, initially confined to minority groups, is now on the rise. Society, despite its lack of comprehensive understanding, habitually questions everything, adhering to a norm of agreeing to disagree. However, there is a pressing need for the return of experts and the establishment of an equilibrium between fact-based predictions and emotion-based opinions, especially in the context of the digital and artificial intelligence era, where emotions play a crucial role.
The pursuit of general artificial intelligence, designed to emulate human experiences with moral values and emotions, emphasizes the importance of emotions. Yet, it is imperative to avoid transforming ourselves into either a 1984 big brother or a brave new world soma societies. Striking an equilibrium between truth and the prevalence of false information becomes paramount.
Expressing this equilibrium mathematically, I formulate it as follows:
The equation y=1/x encapsulates this relationship, indicating that as emotion (denoted by x) intensifies, whether in a negative or positive direction, the deviation from truth (denoted by y) becomes more pronounced. This underscores the delicate equilibrium required to navigate the interplay between emotion and truth, highlighting the importance of mitigating extremes in emotional influence to preserve the integrity of factual information.
Balancing knowledge with emotion can potentially enrich discourse and foster empathy and understanding, but it also requires careful consideration and awareness of how emotions influence our perceptions and actions. Ultimately, by embracing emotions alongside knowledge and fostering a culture of informed discourse, we can pave a path towards hospitality, peace, and mutual understanding in our society.
