By Mr. Maverick
Imagine standing at the beach shore, calmly gazing at the endless blue and feeling the gentle breeze. All of a sudden, you feel the earth beneath your feet shaking. Moments later, you spot a tsunami surging furiously in your direction. What do you do? How do you cope with this harrowing situation?
This is roughly the picture that pops into my mind whenever I think about the future of humanity amid the coming technological wave. Yes, the ebb and flow of technological innovation is a normality. Every certain number of years a new radical technology emerges, carrying with it a reputation for resounding transformation. Honestly, it’s very difficult to gauge the long-term impact of a technological breakthrough. No one knows for sure what the broader future holds. There comes a time, however, when technological evolution produces an incendiary effect that forever alters the course of human history. And this is a recurring pattern. Fire, the wheel, electricity, the combustion engine, and the internet are some of the breakthroughs that belong to this category.
Today, the world is undergoing tremendous change driven by an amalgam of technological breakthroughs. The ramifications of quantum computing, autonomous weapons, abundant energy, and synthetic biology are poised to shape the course of human history to an arguably unprecedented extent. Yet, we are all acutely aware that the capstone of this wave is singular – and you’ve likely already guessed which one we’re referring to: it’s none other than Artificial Intelligence (AI). This idea is not the product of psychological excess or a logical lapse; it is merely a recognition of the unmatched transformative power of this particular technology.
Technological breakthroughs epitomize the cyclical pattern of rise and fall, life and death … and rebirth. Innovation generates new professions and businesses but also brings the demise of old ones. It simultaneously incorporates both the elements of creation and elimination, operating as a powerful force of change. In essence, technological evolution vividly mirrors the Darwinian nature of economic and social progress: it creates winners and losers, and the ones who adapt more swiftly and efficiently to the fresh status quo have the better chances of survival.
“Disrupt”, therefore, is our word of the day, as it captures the hallmark of new technologies – disrupting traditional industries and dismantling certain established fields of knowledge. “What’s the catch?” you might be thinking. Well, to borrow a funny phrase that I recently came across: with AI, the air goes out of the balloon much faster than it went in. In short, AI doesn’t just disrupt a specific field of knowledge – it disrupts knowledge itself. What does this implicate and how do we cope with this new paradigm?
In general, aside from functional utility, scarcity is what humans assign value to. Today, we are witnessing on a daily basis the erosion of knowledge’s scarcity through the freakishly exponential development of AI. Just think about it. In a matter of seconds and with just a few clicks on your keyboard, you can now have the answer to almost any possible question your mind can conceive. It’s truly mind-boggling.
Until very recently, knowledge was highly valued for its scarcity. A doctor, for instance, held a high stature in society because he possessed life-saving knowledge that was rare and highly specialized. The same applied to countless other professions, such as lawyers, architects, and others tasked with complex problem-solving. Their expertise and vast knowledge were duly rewarded because of the scarcity they represented.
We can plausibly gather from all this that the faster AI expands and develops, the greater the “clout” on certain professions and the sooner the scarcity of knowledge will vanish – rendering the latter effectively … redundant.
In my opinion, the antidote to stem this terrible, irreversible tide is philosophy – the “Greekiest” word, perhaps second only to democracy. Philosophy is a friend, a companion with whom you can converse, reflect, and critically engage with existential matters – questions that transcend the materialistic, utilitarian, and hyper-specialized world we currently inhabit. Philosophy embodies wisdom, and unlike knowledge, which is static and now more accessible than ever, wisdom remains dynamic and scarce. Thus, the cultivation of wisdom through philosophy gains even more importance.
The greatest paradox of philosophy is that, unlike knowledge, the deeper you delve into it, the broader your mind becomes and the greater the reach of your thoughts. It nurtures the spirit and expands your mind, equipping you with mental “weapons” that prove invaluable in all circumstances. It remains humanity’s sole means of seeking truth and pursuing virtue – the greatest and most essential pillars for our collective progress as humanity. It is the only bridge paving the way to Nietzsche’s superhuman ideal.
Philosophy functions like a high-value durable good – it lasts indefinitely, demands significant devotion (in terms of mental input and output), and retains its intrinsic value eternally, serving people across all walks of life. Philosophy is your passe-partout, your master key to navigating the new alignment of things. Philsophy is the mother of knowledge, offering comfort in the gnarliest of times. It is not a distant ideal, far removed and accessible only to the greatest of minds. Instead, philosophy permeates everything and everywhere, serving as the mainspring of our thinking.
Embrace philosophy. If you seek a shelter, let philosophy be your solace. It will gradually nourish your soul and elevate your spirit. After all, as Socrates wisely said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
