• Examining the Virtues of Thought

The discussion surrounding the virtues of thought is one of the central and fundamental pillars in the understanding and processing of all facets of philosophy. These virtues are important to understand, especially when relating them back to the human-artificial intelligence debate. In order to understand and make decisions about any topic surrounding artificial intelligence, one must first understand theories of humanity and dissect the workings of our own species. Such discussions lead to questions surrounding the nature of both the human and nonhuman, and will indubitably play a crucial role in future advancements across all fields in which philosophy is of concern.

• Background

The virtues of thought, as we understand them today, can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle. They are an attempt at breaking down and understand human behavior and ethics, specifically considering how knowledge ascends the ranks in the human mind/soul. Much of what is discussed can be found in an excerpt of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics.

• Virtues of Thought

Aristotle discussed the existence of five “virtues” of thoughts. They are: episteme (scientific knowledge), techne (knowledge of the craft), phronesis (intelligence), nous (understanding), and sophia (wisdom). The virtues can be further categorized by their nature as practical (episteme), productive (techne), and abstract (phronesis, nous, and sophia).

• PRACTICAL VIRTUE “EPISTEME”

  • Episteme

    • Definitions—

      • Episteme (root of epistemology)—philosophical definition: referring to knowledge, science, or understanding.

      • Scientific knowledge—knowledge that is observable, evidence-based, learnable, and teachable.

This type of knowledge is concerned with the concrete—based on evidence and observations. It is referred to as “scientific knowledge”. This virtue is linked with science and practicality. It tends to focus on objects of the real, verifiable world. Science is teachable and anything that can be taught is learnable. Episteme holds the idea of eternal truths—the idea that science is eternal and indestructible.

• PRODUCTIVE VIRTUE “TECHNE”

  • Techne

    • Definitions—

      • Techne—the art or craft; concerned with the actual production and methodology of producing an artistic object.

      • Craft—concerned with production, not action.

Techne aims to distinguish between production and action. Under the virtue of techne, these two things are distinct. It is referred to as “craft-knowledge”. Craft concerns itself with the production rather than action. All crafts are focused on things coming to be, their physical manifestation—doing the craft is something whose origin is in the producer, the holder of the techne, and not the product itself. Techne is a separate entity from epistme, although they can be seen as having a somewhat mutually beneficial relationship. In fact, techne is an epistme in and of its own.

• ABSTRACT VIRTUES “PHRONESIS”, “NOUS”, AND “SOPHIA”

  • Phronesis

    • Definitions—

      • Phronesis—meaning wisdom/intelligence; described as the habit of making sound decisions and taking the right course of action, pursuant to excellence, justness, and the common good.

Phronesis has a root in intelligence. Intelligent people tend about to live well and take actions to do the best thing for the individual. These actions concern the entire individual, the overall goodwill of the person, and the best decisions for their life as a whole. Phronesis does not focus on specific areas, namely those that deal with things that are overly specific; such things that promote individual aspects of life; such as health or strength. Intelligence is a distinct category from both episteme and techne; it does not fit the bounds or qualifications for either science or craft, since it is by nature of individual concern. Thus, phronesis cannot be seen as deliberate/necessary, nor concerned with production. It is a virtue of “doing” and of practicality. Intelligence is part of a belief that admits of being.

• Nous

  • Definitions—

    • Nous—common sense/practical knowledge

Nous can be defined as understanding, relating to inherent abilities and truths, being things that are original in humankind. It does not fit under the definitions of intelligence, craft, or science. It is essentially the innate ability for humans to have rational thought. Nous concerns itself with the origin, the “first principles”. Acknowledged as being uniquely human; the natural ability to reason is not found in other species.

• Sophia

  • Definitions—

    • Sophia—the virtue of thought that deals scientific knowledge and understanding, not with action. Greek word for wisdom.

People are wise in general manners, not wise in specific subjects. One would not refer to another as wise about philosophy, but rather knowledgeable about that particular subject. Wisdom is a virtue, something separate and acquired. It concerns itself with life, a moral and ethical transcendence. This virtue draws a distinction from intelligence of all sorts—wisdom is a static trait (it cannot be learned or unlearned) and appears to belong only to humans (intelligence does not). Wisdom (Sophia) is more about abstracts than it is about knowledge. An individual could be wise and unintelligent, and intelligent and unwise. “Sophia” tends to concerns itself about what is by nature most honorable.

• Criticisms

A general criticism of the Aristotelian approach is that Aristotle looks to find a function in the abstract workings of humanity. It can be difficult, if not unreasonable, to put function to every aspect of humanity. The other criticisms lie upon personal beliefs and convictions, in that individuals tend to agree or disagree with the functional breakdown of these types of subjects. Moreover, it is more important to note this topic’s role as a root of discussions, rather than a discussion itself.

• Relevance to Minds and Machines

This topic, though ancient in its origin, holds many relevant points and acts as a springboard to further understanding the ideas presents around artificial intelligence and individuals. Furthermore, it is a significant piece in the rise of Western philosophy. As aforementioned, discussing and fully understanding assorted topics in human philosophy and ethics are an incredibly important component of the current and future discussions posed surrounding the rise of artificial intelligence. Specifically, the understanding of ourselves will enable us to effectively and ethically handle the rise of near-sentient, intelligent life forms, other than ourselves. Such a subject can be tied into virtually every discussion surrounding human ethics and behavior, acting as an anchor for approaches to philosophical banter.