|
The Wells School of Philosophy
Roll Call
14th November 2023, Hare Lane, 1000-1145 hrs:
Tutors:
Linda (LW),
Steve (SW)
Novitiates:
Frank (FB),
John (JE),
Patricia (PM),
Alexis (AN),
Viki (VR),
Howard (HS),
Colin (CS)
Scribe:
Gavin (GW)
The homework set
We will reflect on the thoughts of Aristotle as expressed in the Nicomachean Ethics, specifically in terms of prompting speculation about the relevance of character-based ethical thinking in a world where machines are taking on characteristics previously only associated with the human condition.
We hope you have all had chance to listen to Thursday's In Our Time which focused on the Nicomachean Ethics. It's now available on BBC Sounds, and is very good listening with three excellent contributors, including the brilliantly clear and inspiring Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield.
We will try to imagine how Aristotle might have responded to life today, and potentially in the future. When he wrote 2,500 years ago he invented the notion of justice, relating character, incorporating the virtues, to how to live a (maybe as opposed to 'the') good life, and how this in turn relates individual behaviour to political structures, and to the pursuit of the common good.
- Does our reliance on digital technology (as a source of communication and knowledge) undermine the development of character and virtue-based ethics, and increase reliance on quantitatively based consequential considerations?
- Does it reduce the potential for reflection and achievement of true happiness, rather than one-dimensional, selfish 'pleasure'?
- Does it result in a more selfish, and unequal, society?
- Despite our ability to collect friends on Facebook, are we missing out on true friendship, considered by Aristotle to be of paramount importance on many levels…?
I wonder if Suella Braverman's dismissal made us 'happier'? If so, what does this mean? On an emotional level? Rationally?
What is it, exactly, to feel 'happy'? Aristotle's notion of εὐδαιμονία, building upon the earlier moral philosophy of Plato, and having as its central insight that moral thinking must be integrated with human emotions and appetites, is loosely translated as meaning 'happiness'.
- What is the use of εὐδαιμονία in today's, and tomorrow's world, where AI increasingly takes over functions regarded as central to the human condition?
- What price happiness today? Compare today with Aristotle's time—and maybe in the immediate post-war era when we grew up—when happiness was derived from a rich and complex mix of natural activities.
- If we are now prepared to delegate key human functions to AI, are we losing our ability to pursue the ultimate human good, to live a good life and, with this, lose our sense of day-to-day happiness?
Introduction(SW)
- Aristotle was more of a doer than a thinker.
- Aristotle believed that what you do is an expression of your character. Character gives you an intrinsic sense of right and wrong. Whether you had led a good life was only possible to assess at the end of your life.
- Aristotle believed that self-awareness was fundamental, and that it was revealed in your relationships with others. Self-awareness was the antidote to selfishness.
- Today appearance—the 'optics' of a situation— seem to be taking over from reality.
- He believed in the golden mean, a point somewhere between opposites. (But what would the golden mean be for justice?)
- He believed that the wise person would be happy.
- He believed that reason is what humans do best.
Discussion
The World Today
- It's a polarised world today.(HS)
- Do you think Ancient Greece was any less polarised?(JE)
Participation in Politics
- In today's society, there are many silos of opinion and no debate.(CS)
- But in Parliament, cross-party committees often work well.(VR)
- There often isn't just one right answer.(VR)
- If you have a high sense of well-being, you are more likely to contribute to society.(SW)
- According to Rousseau, amour de soi is more primitive and is compatible with wholeness and happiness, while amour-propre is a form of self-love that arose only with the appearance of society and individuals' consequent ability to compare themselves with one another.[6]
- There is far less debate now. How many political discussions go on in pubs?(SW)
- How many of us go into working-class pubs?(JE)
Happiness etc
- Contentment comes from not wanting more than you have. Each person has their own idea of what makes them happy.(VR)
- My happiness is known only to me.(JE)
- Many books profess to tell you how to be happy. But it often comes along when you weren't expecting it.(AN)
- Happiness is a project which starts at birth. Children learn the benefits of considering others. Adults like to see children sharing.(VR)
- The developmental stage where cooperation is optimal between children tends to occur between the ages of nine and twelve. After that, competition between individuals sets in, and some join or form gangs.(PM)
- 'Well-being' is a better translation of εὐδαιμονία than happiness.(FB)
- Does spending £42 million[1] on a car make you happy?(VR)
- What is the difference between happiness and pleasure?(SW)
- Pleasure is a short-term sensation.(CS)
Virtue
- Self-awareness is not necessarily an antidote to self-awareness. Some evil people have been well aware of their make-up and impact on others.(CS)
- Some of the cleverest people can be the wickedest. Intelligence needs to be guided by virtue.(FB)
- Is reason the highest virtue? David Hume was more inclined towards the emotions.(LW)
Aristotle's Errors
- Aristotle was dismissive of the elderly once they become enfeebled. We believe they should be cherished.
- Should we be reading philosophers more modern than Aristotle?(JE)
- Aristotle kicked off the systematic investigation of so many topics.(LW)
Giving to Good Causes
- Sugar plantation owners are castigated now for owning slaves, but many were thought philanthropic because of their gifts to charity.(VR)
- The Sackler family, despite their bequests to libraries and galleries, are now considered principally in the light of their involvement in opioids.(LW)
- Aristotle said that giving had a golden mean. Give too much and you make yourself weak.(SW)
Artificial Intelligence (again)
- Howard cited the quotation: All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace.[2]
- Can AI firms be trusted?
- There are a massive number of creators of AI. Some will be good; some will be bad. You cannot control them all.(HS)
- We all need to take a hammer to these devices.(LW)
- A massive electromagnetic wave could also destroy all circuitry in the vicinity of its epicentre. That's why cloud computing companies position their datacentres all over the world.(AN)
- Will AI improve our lives or hasten our extinction? Unintended consequences are inevitable.(CS)
- What is the danger that AI will become self-generating?(SW)
- John von Neumann proved mathematically that self-replicating machines[3] could exist in the future. They can then design improvements into the next generation. From that point onwards, we lose some control.(GW)
- Boston Dynamics continues to enhances its range of semi-autonomous industrial and battlefield AI robots[4].(GW)
- Does AI represent a threat to jobs?(SW)
- Current AI developments already present a threat to any job which largely involves reading, thinking and writing—that is, most graduate jobs.(GW)
- Many retailers are forcing us either to shop online or towards self-service at the supermarket. The effect is to reduce our social interactions.(VR)
- But a few supermarket chains are moving in the opposite direction: Booths is axing almost all self-service tills in its stores in what it says is a response to customer demand[5].
AI and the Environment
- Our need for oil and gas is ingrained.(HS)
- We have already destroyed the planet. Why not put AI in charge of it now?(LW)
- The energy industry has analysed countless scenarios of what could happen to future oil and gas consumption.(JE)
- Why not insist that all newly build houses have solar panels built into the roof?(AN)
- Because solar panels don't work well in the winter here.(VR)
- Fields full of solar panels are forecast to expand significantly in the South-East of England.
Other topics touched on
- The people of Claygate will respond positively if encouraged.(SW)
- The refusal of Lutherans in the Netherlands to admit they might be wrong.(AN)
- Marx's theory of historical materialism on human society and history states that thoughts and social institutions develop only as a superstructure founded on an economic base.(SW)
- The fundamental human truths of fairy stories such as Sleeping Beauty.(LW)
Programmes Recommended
References
|
