Henri Bergson and philosophy as conceptual design: Towards a digital ontoethics
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Abstract
Abstract: According to Luciano Floridi, philosophy must function as conceptual design in order to effectively fulfil its role in the context of the revolution brought about by the global spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs). To do so, it must be grounded in two key assumptions: the ontological significance of the diffusion of ICTs, and the importance of addressing the governance challenges that arise from this phenomenon. In this article, I argue that the French philosopher Henri Bergson’s reflections on the relationship between nature and technology remain highly relevant for addressing these issues and can offer a valuable theoretical framework through which to engage with them. Indeed, Bergson situates the production of artificial tools within the broader evolution of natural life, rejecting any dichotomy between the natural and the artificial, and emphasizing the ontological relevance of technology. In this way, his philosophical proposal contributes to a way of thinking in terms of ontoethics, a conceptual category that proves useful for grounding an ethics of artificial intelligence.
Keywords: Henri Bergson; Technology; Nature; Artificial Intelligence; Ontoethics
Henri Bersgon e la filosofia come progettazione concettuale: verso una ontoetica digitale
Riassunto: Secondo Luciano Floridi la filosofia deve funzionare come progettazione concettuale per poter assolvere efficacemente il proprio ruolo nel contesto della rivoluzione prodotta dalla diffusione globale delle tecnologie dell’informazione e della comunicazione. Per farlo, deve basarsi su due presupposti fondamentali: il significato ontologico della diffusione delle tecnologie dell’informazione e della comunicazione e l’importanza di affrontare le sfide di governance che ne derivano. In questo lavoro mostrerò che le riflessioni del filosofo francese Henri Bergson sul rapporto tra natura e tecnologia restano di estremo rilievo per affrontare queste questioni e che sono in grado di offrire un prezioso quadro teorico per confrontarsi con esse. Bergson, infatti, colloca la produzione di strumenti artificiali all’interno della più ampia evoluzione della vita naturale, rifiutando qualsiasi dicotomia naturale/artificiale e sottolineando la rilevanza ontologica della tecnologia. In questo modo, la sua proposta filosofica contribuisce a un modo di pensare in termini di ontoetica, una categoria concettuale che si rivela utile per fondare un’etica dell’intelligenza artificiale.
Parole chiave: Henri Bergson; Tecnologia; Natura; Intelligenza artificiale; Ontoetica
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