West Shore Community College’s HumanKind series is pleased to welcome Dr. Jil Larson for two thought-provoking presentations on Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun, this year’s HumanKind common read. Dr. Larson will speak on Tues., March 18, with a campus event at the WSCC Library and a public talk at the Mason County District Library in Ludington.
As part of HumanKind’s 2024-25 theme, “Overcoming Loneliness: Togetherness, Connection, Community,” these events will explore the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence and its potential role in combating human isolation. Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend designed to provide companionship, raising complex questions about the boundaries of human connection.
Dr. Larson’s first talk, “Confabulation and the Complexity of Love in Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun,” will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the WSCC Library. This discussion will examine how the novel complicates the ways we think about storytelling, memory, and our human need for companionship.
The evening presentation, “Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and the Future in Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun,” will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Mason County District Library in Ludington. This session will take a broader look at the ethical implications of AI, inviting community members to reflect on the role technology may play in addressing— or deepening—human loneliness.
Dr. Jil Larson has been a professor at Western Michigan University since 1992 and specializes in nineteenth-century British literature and ethical theory. She serves on the board of WMU’s Ethics Center and has developed literature courses considering the intersections of ethics, science, and belief. Her current research focuses on memory and ethics in Ishiguro’s fiction.
“These discussions will resonate with anyone interested in the real impact of technology on human relationships,” says Seán Henne, WSCC professor of English and Education. “We are so pleased to have Jil here to help us think more deeply about how we navigate loneliness in a digital age.”
Both events are free and open to the public. For more information about the HumanKind series, visit westshore.edu or contact Dr. Matt Sanderson at mwsanderson@westshore.edu or 231-843-5937.