Aristotle and AI: Insights from The Lyceum Project
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly part of our lives, it forces us to confront questions about its place and purpose. What kind of life do we want technology to serve? How can we make sure it remains in the service of humanity? What activities should be outsourced to technology and what, if any, should remain distinctively human? With its attention to human flourishing, its reflections on intelligence and virtue, and its philosophy of ends, Aristotle’s ethical and political thought can give us very valuable tools for this discussion. This realization is at the heart of The Lyceum Project, an annual interdisciplinary initiative inspired by Aristotle’s Lyceum and bringing together philosophers, scientists, technologists, policymakers, artists, and civil-society leaders in Athens every June. This panel will explore the origins and development of the project. It will consider why a renewed dialogue between Aristotle and contemporary technology is valuable, and how Aristotle’s ideas might help us think differently about the development, governance, and human purposes of AI.