Project TRUST

A comprehensive examination of the nature of knowledge lies at the heart of TRUST, a major four-year research project launched this year by the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences in partnership with the University of Hradec Králové and the Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The project will pursue two main lines of inquiry: how technology shapes what we understand as scientific knowledge, and the conditions and means through which the public engages with that knowledge. It will encompass twelve areas of research, bringing together perspectives from the philosophy of science, theories of rationality, technology, communication, and the social sciences.

New technologies are fundamentally changing the ways in which we understand the world. They are transforming science itself, reshaping scientific practices, and influencing public trust in scientific knowledge. They also raise new questions about the role of science in the contemporary world, including its ethical dimensions. Technologies affect how scientific knowledge is understood, produced, and communicated, as well as the risks associated with these processes. They also shape interpersonal communication and the circulation of information throughout society. On the one hand, they facilitate the spread of knowledge and innovation; on the other, they can contribute to information noise, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and information overload. The TRUST project aims to explore these challenges and, among other objectives, to promote the responsible and ethical use of new technologies in society.

“Our aim is to examine different aspects of knowledge from the perspectives of philosophy, logic, sociology, and history, and to identify the key factors that strengthen or undermine trust in expert knowledge. We hope to contribute to improving scientific knowledge and research practice, both of which are essential if science is to fulfil its role in society,” says Professor Ladislav Kvasz of the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the project’s academic manager.

Between Science, Technology, and Society

The researchers will explore ways to strengthen the resilience and stability of these processes in a rapidly changing world, while also addressing ethical and security concerns. One important part of the project will be an analysis of the information flows and forms of communication associated with the rapid development of technology. At a practical level, the project will foster critical thinking and fair argumentation, improve access to knowledge through digital tools, and examine new ways of disseminating specialist knowledge. It also aims to develop new approaches to education and to strengthening individual skills and competencies.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a striking practical illustration of the challenges facing the credibility of science in an age of distrust. In addition to analysing risks, the project will therefore seek to understand the dynamics of the processes that shape public trust in scientific knowledge. It will work to develop tools and strategies that can help stabilise the information environment and strengthen society’s resilience to the negative effects of technological change.

One strand of the project will focus specifically on inequalities in science as a potential barrier to knowledge-based innovation. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative research, it will examine scientists working at the margins of mainstream academia, the position of women in science, and interdisciplinary and diverse research teams, which previous studies suggest are particularly likely to generate innovative knowledge. The project will also support the democratisation of knowledge and the development of open-source software tools and digital applications for the more effective dissemination of scientific findings.

Part of the research will focus on historical sources. It will shed light on key turning points and methodological changes in scientific practice, as well as on the difficulties innovative ideas have faced in gaining acceptance within the scientific and social mainstream. Using sources that have so far received relatively little scholarly attention, the research will examine how science became established as a socially relevant and trusted institution. The project will also contribute to the development of an AI-based application capable of identifying the structure and content of historical texts.

Strengthening Research Collaboration and Innovation in Education

The project will produce ninety publicly accessible academic publications. It will also organise a wide range of educational activities for researchers and other specialists, with the aim of supporting the use of its findings in future research and teaching. These activities will include methodological seminars for doctoral students on the use of artificial intelligence tools in academic research, as well as summer schools for university students focused on developing skills in digital methods and tools for the humanities. The project will also create innovative teaching materials for critical-thinking education at secondary schools.

Strengthening cooperation between academic institutions will also play an important role throughout the project.
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The TRUST project is supported by the Jan Amos Comenius Operational Programme, which is funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. A total of CZK 149 million has been allocated to the project. Its progress will be overseen by an international advisory board composed of representatives from leading universities abroad.