In this text, Ellul makes a critical point about technology that cuts against one of the enduring myths around it's development and use, namely that technology is "neutral". Ellul argues that all technology has an embedded ideology, specifically the desire for efficiency, and that this desire deeply impacts both how we use technology and how we see the world. He unpacks the implications for our society of the dominance of this ideology.
AI makes consideration of a post-scarcity society far more than theoretical. If automation can take care of humanity’s necessities then the ennui and boundless leisure time that many of the characters in Gatsby grapple with will become fixtures of most people’s lives. Understanding Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the perils of hedonistic lifestyles can inform human understanding of the risks that could prevent flourishing as a result of endless leisure time.
In times like these, we must not forget that human flourishing can occur not only alongside the growth of artificial intelligence, but also amid suffering and destitution. Frankl reminds us in his book how resilient the human spirit is in literally willing meaning in places where one may suspect it to be most elusive. In Man’s Search for Meaning, I hope the reader realizes the inspirational infinity that is ingrained in every human which, by all comparison, makes even artificial intelligence inconsequential.
It anticipates a dystopic future in which human beings will be measured by their talents in order to predict their future and reproduction of the human species will be controlled on the basis of each human being's DNA potential. The picture shows what we fail to grasp if we try to measure reality and anticipate what individuals can do, achieve, and strive for.
This was an empirical study that aimed to characterize evidence of gender bias in ChatGPT. Understanding social biases in generative AI is key to understanding of human flourishing in the age of AI.
The importance of human articulation face to face in language in light of the philosophical history of Alan Turing and early sociological study of mobile technology
Shop Class as Soulcraft argues that manual, skilled work (like fixing motorcycles) is intellectually rich and essential to human flourishing. Crawford is critical of the shift in modern work toward abstraction, and the separation of thinking from doing. In his view, deep satisfaction and important forms of knowledge come from engaging with the material world, exercising judgment, and seeing the tangible results of one’s labor.
This perspective is increasingly relevant in the context of AI, which accelerates the delegation of both white- and blue-collar tasks to inscrutable software systems. As AI takes over more cognitive work (analysis, writing, creativity, decision-making) as well as physical tasks, human beings are distanced not only from the work itself but from the embodied knowledge that such work develops and sustains. In other words, AI makes us dumber the more we use it.
Crawford’s emphasis on the unity of mind and body in skilled labor challenges the idea that intelligence can be cleanly separated from action. When AI assumes more of our planning, problem-solving, and perception, we risk dislocating ourselves from the very processes that build competence and agency. The more we outsource, the less we engage in feedback loops between thinking and doing. This atrophy of judgment, attention, and intuition may erode our sense of identity, responsibility, and satisfaction in work.
The article contains results from empirical studies describing the effect of generative AI on work practices and knowledge acquisition, two key elements of human flourishing.
