Waves of Trust: Science, Technology, and Society, Essays in Honor of Rino Falcone

The title of this book accurately reflects the figure of Rino Falcone, a scientist whose contributions have provided important insights into several central themes of research, with particular reference to the fields of agent theory, multi-agent systems, and artificial intelligence. Alongside Cristiano Castelfranchi, Rino Falcone has made a fundamental contribution to understanding and systematizing the concept of trust in human interactions, in the relationship between humans and technology, and in interactions between humans and artificial intelligent agents. Throughout his work, Falcone has consistently prioritized a broad interdisciplinary theoretical analysis, focused especially on the search for regulatory principles that transcend mere application domains.

His scientific production has always been accompanied by a passionate socio-political commitment, which has decisively marked the history of the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC-CNR), of which he has been a part since its inception and which he directed for nearly 9 years, and more broadly of Italian research. In addition to leading the ISTC, Falcone has held numerous prominent institutional roles, successfully advocating for a vision of science as a driver of social progress.

Through a series of contributions and testimonies from eminent Italian and international scientists, politicians, and public figures whose experiences have intersected with those of Rino Falcone, this volume seeks to explore the implications of his scientific activity and also aims to delve into profound reflection on the dynamic relationship between science, society, and politics. In an era of profound technological transformations like the one we are experiencing, Rino Falcone has positioned himself as a figure capable of uniting scientific rigor with the ability to promote deep and current reflection on the role of science as a paradigm in the construction of a more just, sustainable, and humane society.