Alumnus Writes Thriller About Facial Recognition Technology
Alumni author Dr. Philip Wolfson
Dr. Philip Wolfson, Class of ‘74, combined his background in dentistry and his fascination with facial recognition technology to produce “Faces Tell All,’’ a spy thriller published this summer. Here's how Wolfson describes his first novel: “The main premise is that our faces give us away – our identities, our physical and psychological fitness, our attitudes and intentions – and this revelatory power can now be enhanced through computer based scanning cameras to predict, for individuals and the masses, not only our behaviors but our survival potential as a species.’’ Below, he answers some questions about the topic of his book.
How did your career as a dentist spark an interest in facial recognition technology?
As a general dentist working with cosmetic dentistry, I was always aware of the basic principles of balance and geometry. It doesn’t just stop with the mouth. We look at the entire face and consider proportionality. All those things are the basis of facial recognition technology. In China, there’s a lot going on that ties in with spying and espionage. People are trying to hide their identity and surveillance cameras are trying to ID people. Everyone has a face and everyone uses it, and our faces can be exploited, with our without our permission. In my book, part of the Chinese rivalry with us is not only to get control of this fictitious app but use facial imagery as a tool of propaganda and warfare, to use our propensity for celebrity worship against us.
What did you discover about the origins of facial analysis?
I’ve studied textbooks on physiognomy from the 1800s. They gave me an idea of what the pseudoscience of studying faces was all about. I learned about Chinese face reading. They thought certain features, the texture of the skin, corresponded to certain personality types….Animals have a lot to do with it. When a human face looks like an animal face, it can make you look strong or powerful, but if it’s too similar, it can make you look like a monster. It’s our whole ambivalence with the animal world. We want to be a part of it but we want to be above it.
Why does the human face have such a powerful effect on us?
Faces drive our social interaction, our entertainment, our fantasies and dreams. They are the heart of our worst fears and nightmares. They are in our artwork and our mythology, both frightening and beautiful. On the one hand, a face can be the most beautiful thing you can imagine, and on the other hand, if someone wants to hurt you, the most terrifying.
