A University Centered on Science and Technology, Embracing Philosophical Questions

Professor Kang Jin-ho

I am enjoying my days here, not only because I can engage in active academic exchange with GIST’s distinguished faculty but also because I have the opportunity to teach such exceptionally talented students.
The research areas I am currently focused on are the philosophy of language, epistemology, and the philosophy of artificial intelligence.
By resolving conceptual confusion through semantic analysis in the philosophy of language, I believe I can make significant contributions to actual research in science and technology.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

I joined the faculty at the beginning of the spring semester this year. My specialties are philosophy and aesthetics, and I conduct wide-ranging research on both Eastern and Western philosophy and art.
My goal is to demonstrate that philosophy is a discipline deeply connected to our daily lives and to convey the importance of art in helping us lead better lives.

Professor Kang Jin-ho

The term “philosophy of language” can be interpreted in two ways. One is as a field that explores philosophical problems related to the nature of language, specifically the nature of linguistic meaning. The other is as a method of inquiry that seeks to solve or dissolve philosophical problems by analyzing the meanings of the key concepts involved.
Natural science and engineering conduct research using mathematically well-defined scientific languages. However, what exactly the terms and equations of scientific language signify cannot be understood through that language alone.
If the connection between scientific language and its meaning is not properly established, conceptual confusion arises, ultimately hindering the progress of research in natural science and engineering. Representative examples of this include the confusion surrounding “measurement” in quantum mechanics and “symbols” and “neural networks” in artificial intelligence research.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

Regardless of the academic discipline, I believe what matters is the perspective from which we view the subject at hand. Philosophy is a discipline that encourages us to reexamine the perspectives we have long taken for granted, and that is precisely why I chose it.
In particular, Eastern thought has long understood the universe not as a mere collection of matter, but as a living, dynamic, organic entity.
While this perspective began to receive serious attention in the West only in the modern era, it has been sustained within the long intellectual tradition of Eastern thought. In that sense, Eastern philosophy can serve as a vital resource for contemplation, enabling us to view the familiar world from a different perspective.

Professor Kang Jin-ho

To solve a problem, the problem must first be given; to perform a task efficiently, the purpose of that task must first be given.
We can, and indeed must, ask why we need to solve a particular problem and why we should pursue that specific goal in the first place.
In scientific inquiry, there are instances in which reflecting on the problem and purpose themselves can lead to fundamental change.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

What I emphasize in my classes is not the conclusions reached by specific thinkers, but the questions and concerns that motivated their thought.
I believe philosophers are those who pose new questions and create answers to them rather than merely seeking existing answers.
I see science as being deeply connected to this same kind of creative activity. Philosophy and science can meet precisely in their shared endeavor to construct theories or models that describe the world in new ways; in this sense, they can be regarded as complementary disciplines.

Professor Kang Jin-ho

I, too, find generative AI useful and incorporate it into my research and teaching. However, I do not believe that current generative AI possesses knowledge, nor do I think it understands the meaning of the sentences it generates.
This is because I have developed certain criteria through conceptual analyses of “knowledge,” “meaning,” and “understanding,” and generative AI does not satisfy them.
I hope students will always keep this point in mind.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

In an era of rapid technological advancement, art and aesthetics play a crucial role in reflecting on human senses and experiences.
While we tend to understand technological progress primarily from the perspectives of knowledge and efficiency, it is also necessary to view it in terms of the body and the senses.
From this perspective, a gap still exists between technology and humanity.
Even if that gap were to narrow, humans will not easily relinquish the values derived from their own senses and experiences.

Professor Kang Jin-ho

The two courses I taught this semester contained material that was quite difficult and demanding for undergraduate general education courses.
I made an effort to explain this material to the students as accurately, accessibly, and clearly as possible, thinking that if they understood the subject matter well, they would naturally begin to raise various questions. I wanted to discuss those questions together in class.
Fortunately, the students asked many good questions, and the resulting discussions were rich and rewarding.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

The most important goal of my classes is to convey that philosophy and art are not the preserve of a select few, but are closely connected to our lives.
I also place emphasis on encouraging students to develop the ability to question and think for themselves. That is why I ask a great many questions in class.
Ultimately, I aim for classes in which we explore ways of thinking together rather than merely transmitting knowledge. To borrow Kant’s expression, philosophy is not something that can simply be taught; rather, it is a process of thinking together about how to philosophize.

Professor Kang Jin-ho

I am currently conducting research on how to define the concept of “knowledge” in relation to machines such as artificial intelligence. I am also considering how AI research would need to develop for artificial intelligence to possess knowledge under that definition.
I would like to conduct collaborative research with professors who are interested in this topic. Based on the research results, I would also like to jointly offer a course titled “Machine Epistemology” in the future. I will continue to devote myself as fully as possible to my current research and teaching.

Professor Ahn Kang-hun

Researching philosophy and aesthetics naturally leads to an interest in understanding the human body and mind. Recently, I have been focusing on how these questions intersect with brain science, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and neuroaesthetics.
In terms of education, I would like to develop courses that integrate philosophy, art, and science. If we view life solely in terms of achievements or results, our experience of it may become narrower. I encourage students to value experiences that may seem unrelated to immediate practical benefit. Such experiences often acquire meaning in unexpected ways. My office is always open, so please feel free to stop by at any time.