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To conclude the Leopoldina Symposium "Science, Opinion, and the Public," ProLOEWE will be presenting its science simulation game "Knowledge versus Opinion" at the German National Academy of Sciences in Halle on November 28.

"The idea for this simulation game arose in turbulent times as we are facing major global challenges," explain the initiators. "Our primary goal is to teach students the importance of critical thinking and reliable sources."

We were therefore all the more pleased to receive an invitation to the Leopoldina, where we will be presenting our simulation game on artificial intelligence as part of their annual class symposia.

The ProLOEWE simulation game on artificial intelligence follows a simple yet effective principle: Under the guidance of a game master, young people take on roles from science, business, media, NGOs, and politics. In the scenario, medical professionals discover a new method, businesses examine its marketability, the media reports with either factual or emotional appeals, an ethics institute assesses the consequences, and the public sector decides on funding or regulation. This creates a vibrant forum for discussion, immersing students in the dynamics of research, public discourse, and politics – and simultaneously in the tension between knowledge and opinion. 

The simulation culminates in a talk show where the participants defend their positions. The debates are often passionate and heated, impressively demonstrating how deeply the students immerse themselves in their roles and how emotionally engaged they are.

At the end, the roles are dissolved, the experience is reflected upon, and the participants collectively analyze it. What remains is the realization of how complex societal decision-making processes are – and how important it is to be able to distinguish between opinion and established knowledge.

ProLOEWE and the LOEWE research projects are pursuing several goals with the implementation of this simulation: Firstly, they aim to convey current cutting-edge research topics in an understandable and engaging way. Secondly, the young people experience democratic processes firsthand: respect for differing opinions, collaborative decision-making, and fact-based debates.

The simulation "Knowledge versus Opinion - AI" was developed jointly by LOEWE-WhiteBox, Science Birds, and ProLOEWE and realized in Halle at the end of November.

The "ProLOEWE simulation" project was launched in early 2024: The LOEWE Center DRUID (research: tropical infectious diseases), the LOEWE Research Clusters "Minority Studies" (research: language of minorities) and "Whitebox" (AI research) together with ProLOEWE (network of LOEWE research projects) and the science birds developed a science simulation game, which they have since been using in Hessian schools under the title "Knowledge versus Opinion".