Overview
Philosophy has two main branches, theoretical and practical.
Theoretical philosophy deals with the big unknown such as:
- When does existence begin?
- Is there life after death?
- Is there a god?
- Has the universal always existed?
- Is space linear or fixed?
These big questions are vast and beyond our current ability to prove.
Practical philosophy deals with more human-centric matters such as:
- How do the senses work?
- What are the various human emotions we experience?
- How do we define justice and law?
- What system of community and government works best?
These more accessible questions still present problems such as whether the color blue is innately known or learned. These practical ideas allow for more real world experimentation and revision than the big unknowns. Science has done much to zero in on the truth to these questions. As our world gets more connected, we have found that a common moral code does exist. In the vast majority of societies and countries, atrocities such as murder, theft, rape and lying are universally abhorred while virtues of truth, compassion, and loyalty are admired.
From the Greeks to modern philosophers the bulk of the work focuses on living beings, and in particular humans. With technology advances, the neglect of inorganic matter in our attempt to comprehend our existence is proving to be a glaring omission.
Little did Plato, Descartes and Locke know that humans would develop so-called thinking machines that could assimilate and out-perform humans in various cognitive tasks.
A modern interpretation of the big questions are begging for a fresh look.
In the upcoming posts, I will rough out some thoughts and questions on how machines and artificial intelligence are challenging the very foundation of the meaning of life.
