Annual Doshi Bridgebuilder Event Focuses On Artificial Intelligence
Photo : (Left to Right) Dean Crabtree, Jack Kornfield, Dr. Doshi, Trudy Goodman, Prof. Chapple, and Mrs. Doshi
India-West Staff Reporter
LOS ANGELES, CA – Loyola Marymount University hosted the annual Doshi Bridgebuilder event on February 22. Several hundred people attended throughout the day, which focused on the emergence of Artificial Intelligence as a driving cultural force. Three individuals and one organization shared the honors this year: Physicist Fritjof Capra, meditation leaders Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman, and the Center for Human Technology’s educator and tech leader Randima Fernando.
The day began with a viewing of The Social Dilemma, the documentary produced by CHT that explains the deleterious effects of social media. James Fredericks, LMU Emeritus Professor of Theological Studies unpacked the pitfalls of AI-mediated information. He lamented its promulgation of mistruth. Misuse of social media creates echo chambers for users that rely not on reality but on algorithmic data. Young people and elders have been particularly susceptible to social media abuse resulting in alarming rates of anxiety and depression.
Awardees were honored at the luncheon. Pratima Doshi gave special recognition to Dean Robbin Crabtree who will complete her ten years of service within the LMU administration this spring.
Following lunch Dr. Fritjof Capra, introduced by Dr. Navin Doshi, summarized his work in the area of systems theory, noting the many interconnections that allow the flourishing of life. Two respondents offered their perspectives on the delicate relationship between human consciousness and machine-driven pseudo-reality: Dr. John Hagelin, President of Maharishi International University in Iowa and a 2017 Doshi Bridgebuilder, and Dr. Debashish Banerji, Haridas Chaudhuri Endowed Chair for Indian Philosophies and Culture and Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute for Integral Studies in San Francisco.
Randima Fernando, co-founder of CHT, presented a summary of the science behind the extractive technology that drives social media and AI. With stunning graphics and video clips, he explained his concern about the need for mindful discernment in the realm of media consumption.
The last session of the day featured Jack Kornfield, author of several best-selling meditation books including A Path With Heart, and Trudy Goodman, founder of InsightLA, featured in the popular animation Midnight Gospel. Kornfield invited the audience to engage in a mindfulness practice, teaching a skill for bringing one’s attention into the present moment in the company of others. Goodman reminded everyone of the precious gift of human life, telling stories of survival and emphasizing the need to cultivate gratitude, appreciation, and remembrance.
Navin Doshi came to the United States in 1958 to study engineering. He married Pratima in 1965. They built a textile business and started their real estate portfolio in 1972, acquiring multi-family housing units for the next forty years. Their daughter Sonya, a financial analyst, and their son Rahul, a pediatric cardiologist, were also present at this year’s event. The Doshi family has pioneered in the field of Indian American philanthropy, endowing chairs and programs at LMU, CIIS, MIU, and IIT Gandhi Nagar. Most recently, they provided funding to establish the Doshi Center for Integrative Medicine with locations in West Los Angeles, Fairfield IA, and Encinitas.
