{"id":13740,"date":"2020-03-17T16:01:43","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T23:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/educatorinnovator.org\/?p=13740"},"modified":"2020-11-25T12:15:56","modified_gmt":"2020-11-25T20:15:56","slug":"the-grapple-series-session-2-algorithms-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educatorinnovator.org\/the-grapple-series-session-2-algorithms-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Grapple Series, Session 2: Algorithms & Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Beatrice Dias<\/a>, Michelle King<\/a>, and Laura Roop<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

During our second Grapple Series session we explored algorithms, which are, in many ways, the inner workings of artificial intelligence (AI). What would we discover if we approached building algorithms through the lens of justice?<\/p>\n

We began by articulating our personal definitions of justice. bell hooks says, \u201cJustice demands integrity. It\u2019s to have a moral universe\u2014not only know what is right or wrong but to put things in perspective, weigh things. Justice is different from violence and retribution; it requires complex accounting.\u201d The words of hooks and others inspired our own grapplings with how we perceive justice<\/a>. We then moved to define what an algorithm is<\/a>, in our own words.<\/p>\n

A People\u2019s Guide to AI<\/a> defines an algorithm as, \u201cA series of steps that allow you to perform a particular task.\u201d This definition also applies to our personal lives and the algorithms we use as part of our daily routines or decision making logic. Cathy O\u2019Neil describes algorithms in AI as, \u201cOpinions embedded in code.\u201d She posits that a programmer\u2019s values are part and parcel of the algorithms they create; just as an author\u2019s personal perspectives are reflected in their writings, so does a coder\u2019s algorithm reflect their values and opinions. How do algorithms operate in the context of AI and humanity? Can these algorithms be champions for and arbiters of justice?<\/p>\n

Our subsequent small group discussions brought up interesting questions at the intersections of justice and algorithms:<\/p>\n