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Conference of the Humanistische Akademie Deutschland: The End of Truth? Fake News and Humanism
no name given ·
diesseits – Das humanistische Magazin ·
2026-10-09
· Berlin
· Source
Knowledge · main message
Responsibility · carrying
Truthfulness · carrying
The problem of fake news requires joint action by science, media, and educational institutions to strengthen trust in reliable information and democratic processes.
The text presents a conference of the Humanistische Akademie Deutschland on the topic of fake news and humanism. It describes the growing problem of fabricated reports, which is exacerbated by deepfakes and AI techniques. Trust in science, media, and democratic politics is portrayed as eroding. The first conference block serves an informational purpose through lectures on digital, neuroscientific, philosophical, and historical aspects. On the second day, the focus is on what humanists can concretely do. Science, reputable media, and educational institutions are named as key groups with particular responsibility. The event is aimed at a broad audience without prior knowledge, with a popular-scientific and enlightening intent.
- What, according to this text, is the root of the evil?
-
Ignorance, illusion, a false view of reality
- Where does the evil reside?
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in the economy, politics, or social structures
- What helps against it?
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insight, learning, enlightenment, right understanding; practical action towards the neighbour, good works
- What is human being according to this text?
-
self-determined, the author of one's own actions
- Where is history heading?
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it is getting worse, an order is coming to an end
- What does the text base its claim on?
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on argument, logic, science
- To whom does the text's call for devotion apply?
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to every human being, regardless of faith
- Where is the text's criticism directed?
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at others, at society, at other groups
Related texts from other traditions
by similarity of the analysis, one text per tradition
What the text calls for
- dem Problem der Fake News begegnen (social)
- Verantwortung in Wissenschaft, Medien und Bildung übernehmen (social)
Measured
- Basic stance
- 1 from -2 to 2
- Insistence
- 1 of 3
- Reach
- 4 of 5
- Concreteness
- 2 of 3
- Boundary
- 1 of 3
- Time
- past 1, present 3, future 1
Analysed with qwen3.8-27b, version v3.
The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
The conference “The End of Truth? Fake News and Humanism” directly follows the annual delegates’ meeting of the Humanist Association of Germany | Federal Association. It addresses the growing problem of fake news, the new technical and media possibilities, and the eroding trust of people in the seriousness of science, media, and democratic politics. Who can one actually still believe? In 2016, after Trump’s first electoral victory in the USA, the term “fake news” for a deliberately falsified report was named the Anglicism of the Year. Much educational work has been done since then, but the easily accessible image manipulation techniques (deepfakes) and the spread of AI have further sharpened the societal problem.
The first of the two event days is intended for information: Several lectures by distinguished speakers illuminate the digital-technical background, the neuroscientific and social-psychological mechanisms, the philosophical and sociological debate tradition on truth, lies, and error, as well as the history of propaganda, targeted forgeries, and conspiracy theories. The lectures and discussions are lightened by interactive formats and playful exercises for discovering and generating fake news.
On Sunday morning, the question is at the center: What can we as humanists do to address the problem of fake news? Which key groups bear a particular responsibility? Here, science, serious media and journalists, as well as educators in the home and educational institutions, are particularly called upon.
The event is aimed – with a popular-scientific and enlightening intention – at those interested in politics, science, and media technology of all age groups, as well as at relevant experts; prior knowledge is not required.
To the program flyer (PDF)
To the registration
Full text in the original
Die Tagung „Das Ende der Wahrheit? Fake News und Humanismus“ schließt direkt an das Jahresdelegiertentreffen des Humanistischen Verbandes Deutschlands | Bundesverband an. Es geht um das wachsende Problem der Fake News, die neuen technischen und medialen Möglichkeiten und das erodierende Vertrauen der Menschen in die Seriosität von Wissenschaft, Medien und demokratischer Politik. Wem kann man eigentlich noch glauben? 2016, nach dem ersten Wahlsieg von Trump in den USA, wurde der Begriff „Fake News“ für eine bewusst gefälschte Meldung zum Anglizismus des Jahres gekürt. Viel Aufklärungsarbeit wurde seither geleistet, aber die einfach zugänglichen Bildbearbeitungstechniken (Deepfakes) und die Ausbreitung von KI haben das gesellschaftliche Problem noch einmal zugespitzt.
Der erste der beiden Veranstaltungstage soll der Information dienen: Mehrere Vorträge ausgewiesener Referent*innen beleuchten den digitaltechnischen Hintergrund, die neurowissenschaftlichen und sozialpsychologischen Mechanismen, die philosophische und soziologische Debattentradition zu Wahrheit, Lüge und Irrtum sowie die Geschichte von Propaganda, gezielten Fälschungen und Verschwörungstheorien. Aufgelockert werden die Vorträge und Diskussionen durch interaktive Formate und spielerische Übungen zum Entdecken und Generieren von Fake News.
Am Sonntagvormittag steht die Frage im Mittelpunkt: Was können wir als Humanist*innen tun, um dem Problem der Fake News zu begegnen? Bei welchen Schlüsselgruppen liegt eine besondere Verantwortung? Hier sind besonders die Wissenschaft, die seriösen Medien und Journalist*innen sowie die Erziehenden in Elternhaus und Bildungseinrichtungen gefordert.
Die Veranstaltung richtet sich – in populärwissenschaftlich-aufklärerischer Absicht – an politisch, wissenschaftlich und medientechnisch Interessierte aller Altersgruppen sowie an einschlägige Fachleute; Vorkenntnisse sind nicht erforderlich.
Zum Programmflyer (PDF)
Zur Anmeldung