Philosophy and artificial intelligence might seem like two distant worlds: one ancient and contemplative, the other cutting-edge and rapidly evolving. Yet as we move deeper into the age of AI, it becomes clear that these two disciplines are inextricably linked.
From the fundamental contribution of philosophical logic at the dawn of AI, to the ethical questions we face today, philosophical thought proves to be an indispensable lighthouse for navigating the uncharted waters of the technological future. Don't you believe it? Now I'll try to explain myself better, and to give you the idea, I "prop" the discussion here and there with images of statues of great thinkers portrayed in modern poses, complete with t-shirts. Naturally, created with AI.
AI is born precisely from philosophy
Artificial intelligence, despite its apparent modernity, has its roots fully in philosophical thought. One of AI's earliest successes, the Logic Theorist program of 1956, was based on logical principles developed by philosophers Alfred North Whitehead e Bertrand Russell in their monumental Mathematics Principle. This link between philosophy and AI is not accidental, but reflects a deep connection between abstract thinking and its practical implementation.
Philosophy has played a crucial role in the development of AI since its inception. The concepts of formal logic, developed by philosophers such as Gottlob Frege, laid the foundation for modern programming languages.
Frege's contribution to modern logic, with the introduction of quantifiable variables, it paved the way for more sophisticated reasoning systems, which are essential for the development of AI. Other philosophers and logicians like Kurt Godel e Alfred Tarski they further enriched this field with their theorems on completeness, incompleteness and the definition of truth in formal systems.
Language and AI: another (very strong) philosophical connection
One particularly interesting aspect is how philosophical insights into language have influenced the development of AI language models. The Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, with its idea that “the meaning of a word is its use in language,” literally anticipated the statistical approach of modern language models such as ChatGPT.
And what about the ethical aspects? As AI becomes more sophisticated and pervasive, new questions emerge that require in-depth reflection. How can we ensure that AI systems make ethical decisions? What are the moral limits of automation? Only philosophy offers conceptual tools to address these complex questions.
This is why it is no coincidence that OpenAI created a team dedicated to aligning AI values with human ones. These are not just technical issues, but philosophical ones. Issues that require reflection on the nature of human values and how they can be translated into artificial systems.
Artificial consciousness: a philosophical conundrum
One of the most heated debates in the field of AI concerns the possibility of one artificial consciousness. This question, which once belonged to the domain of science fiction, is now the focus of serious scientific and philosophical discussions.
Consciousness remains one of the most difficult problems in neuroscience. Applying this concept to AI raises new questions about the nature of consciousness itself.
Creativity and AI: a philosophical challenge
The question of creativity in AI is another field in which philosophy plays a crucial role. The British philosopher and cognitive scientist Margaret Boden wrote a splendid essay on artificial intelligence, which I recommend you read.
In her work, Boden explored this theme in depth, arguing that AI can also produce new ideas, but may struggle to evaluate them the way creative humans do. More urgent and profound questions about the nature of creativity and intelligence.
The future of philosophy in the age of AI
Be careful to consider the two disciplines as distant even in terms of dynamics. Artificial intelligence continues to evolve, but philosophy is also adapting: precisely in this sense AI itself is becoming a powerful catalyst.
New fields of study are emerging, such as “computational philosophy,” which uses AI tools to explore philosophical questions. Projects like PolyGraphs, which simulates information sharing on social media, show how AI can be used to address “universal” questions in new ways.
An evolution that brings to mind the vision of the philosopher gottfried leibniz, who in the 17th century imagined a “calculus ratiocinator,” a calculating machine that could help us derive answers to philosophical and scientific questions. Will we get there?
The great synergy with technology
In summary, we said it to ourselves: there is a relationship between philosophy and AI. And this relationship is not one-way. While philosophy helps guide the ethical development of AI, technology offers new tools for exploring philosophical questions.
This is a synergy that promises to enrich both fields, leading to a deeper understanding of the human mind, artificial intelligence and the social mechanisms that will guide the future.
I am thinking of governance, for example.
British jurist and author Jamie Susskind has proposed the idea of building a “digital republic,” which fundamentally rethinks the political and economic system that has given tech companies so much influence and risks causing us to slide in a private and digital neo-feudalism.
Even the theories and research on the so-called systems ofSuper democracy” are part of the picture.
Study philosophy: you will be the new leaders in the future of AI
Philosophy, amigos. It's not humanist rhetoric, believe me. Philosophy will be a damned practical tool in the future that awaits us, as and more than sociology, which will also be crucial. Far from being a relic of the past, philosophy will prove to be an indispensable compass for navigating the uncharted waters of artificial intelligence.
You'll see. From Aristotle a Turing, frege a ground, philosophical thinking will nurture, inform and guide the development of AI. And it will offer us the conceptual tools to create a future that is not only technologically advanced, but also ethically solid and deeply human. Study it!
