Look History in the Eye, Melbourne

Unravelling phrenology: a dive into a controversial past and its modern implications

February 07, 2024 Public Record Office Victoria Season 1 Episode 13
Look History in the Eye, Melbourne
Unravelling phrenology: a dive into a controversial past and its modern implications
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Prepare to journey back in time to the captivating, yet controversial world of phrenology, with our guest Dr. Alexandra Roginski. This episode takes you from the hustle and bustle of public readings and fortune-tellers in Melbourne's Eastern Arcade to the somber tale of the Gunn-Alley Murder. We shed light on the rise and fall of phrenology, and delve into the intriguing parallels between phrenology and modern facial analysis technology and artificial intelligence.

With Australian technology researchers Chris O'Neil and Edward Santow we explore some of the ethical concerns surrounding this technology, including its potential for discrimination and false assumptions.

SPEAKERS

Podcast Presenter Kate Follington, Dr Alexandra Roginski, Christopher O'Neil,  Professor Edward Santow. 

This podcast is produced by Public Record Office Victoria the archive of the state government of Victoria. To view the podcast homepage and all episodes, and to view records related to this episode go to https://prov.vic.gov.au/look-history-eye-podcast

Facial Analysis and Phrenology in History
19th and 20th Century Phrenology Melbourne, Fortune Tellers, Murder Case
Ethical Concerns, about AI and Facial Analysis Technology
Reliability and Trust in Algorithms, Have We Moved Forward From Phrenology?