On June 26, the X Dignity Center at Keio University and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) held the workshop “OIST-Keio Showcase Talk Series vol.12: Workshop on the Neural Basis of Democracy.” The workshop brought together researchers from Keio University, OIST, and other institutions to explore, from interdisciplinary perspectives spanning the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, the cognitive and neural functions, social behaviors, and mathematical mechanisms that underpin democracy.
The workshop brought together researchers from a wide range of fields, including neuroscience, cognitive science, law, social sciences, and mathematical physics. Participants engaged in active discussions around fundamental questions such as “What is democracy?”, “How do humans make decisions collectively?”, and “How do advances in science and technology influence democratic societies?”
The workshop began with discussions on the philosophical and historical foundations of democracy, highlighting the importance of reason, the public sphere, and cooperation with others in the development of modern democratic societies. The participants also discussed how information environments, including social media and digital platforms, can influence emotional responses and contribute to social polarization.
The discussions then turned to the perspectives of neurolegal studies and neuropolitics, which examines politics and society through insights from neuroscience and cognitive science. Participants explored how advances in brain and cognitive sciences may affect social systems and the protection of rights. The importance of emerging concepts such as mental privacy and cognitive liberty was highlighted, along with the need to develop legal and ethical frameworks that address future technological developments.
The workshop also featured a broad range of research approaches, including studies of social behavior using neuroscientific methods, analyses of consensus-building mechanisms through neuroeconomics, and research on collective decision-making using reinforcement learning and mathematical models. These presentations introduced new approaches to scientifically understanding the mechanisms that support democracy, from individual decision-making to collective cooperation and the maintenance of social norms.
In addition, participants discussed the potential of AI-assisted collective decision-making and democratic processes enabled by online platforms, as well as the impact of information technologies on democracy and the ethical challenges involved in their design.
In the final discussion, participants shared the view that understanding the complex phenomenon of democracy requires connecting knowledge from diverse fields, including the humanities and social sciences, neuroscience, and mathematical sciences, rather than relying on a single theory or methodology.
Through this workshop, the potential of interdisciplinary research that reexamines democracy as “a collective endeavor emerging from the human brain, mind, and society” was highlighted. The X Dignity Center at Keio University and OIST will continue to strengthen their collaboration, promote continued exchanges among researchers, and pursue further research interactions and symposiums.