Automation and the Meaning in Life
Virtual Utopia and Buen vivir
I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.
All watched over by machines of loving grace - Richard Brautigan
Jobs are not only a source of income. For many people, their jobs and careers are a source of meaning. For example, imagine someone asking, “Who are you?” The job you do or the career you studied may appear early in that description of yourself. The way we see ourselves, in many cases, is attached to the job we do.
Nowadays, it is almost trivial to say that AI is everywhere. Machine learning algorithms and AI systems are being introduced across many social, political, and economic aspects. This has the potential to optimize many processes but simultaneously realize what Keynes calls “technological unemployment” (Keynes, 1930). In the present context, this means massive unemployment due to the replacement of human labor by automation technologies, especially those based on robotics and AI.
Yes, it is true that, ultimately, this is an empirical question. Still, due to the lack of consensus on the percentages (from 9% to 70% and everything in between), it is worth having economic discussions around the possibility of this, at least.
But, this is not only a substantial economic problem but a problem of meaning in life, which turns it philosophical. If one ceases to do what defines oneself, answering “Who are you?” becomes more complicated. Can we find meaning in a world without work?
Philosophers have been trying to answer these questions for decades. But recently, the topic has become more pressing due to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and robotics. For example, David Chalmers recently published his book, “Reality+” (Chalmers, 2022), arguing that we might live in a virtual simulation now.
Another interesting work is the one by philosopher John Danaher. In his 2019 book “Automation and Utopia,” he argues that humans will become obsolete. In that work, Danaher argues, in the same line that Keynes, that humans will become less and less required due to technological development. However, he believes that if harnessed correctly, the technology that hastens our obsolescence can open us up to new utopian possibilities and enable heightened forms of human flourishing (Danaher, 2019). For that flourishing, he argues that we must build virtual worlds where we can retreat and maintain relevance in the real world. He thinks this is not only a way of coping with the situation but actually “be the utopia we are looking for.” (Danaher, 2019, p.270).
In our recent paper “Technological Unemployment and Meaning in Life, a Buen Vivir Critique of the Virtual Utopia,” we argue that even though Danaher’s point is well articulated, based on the Latin American philosophy of buen vivir (“good living”), virtual Utopia is not a good candidate for human’s post-work utopia and force to ask ourselves what is it that we value and gives meaning to our lives.
The notion of buen vivir has its roots in common aspects of various Latin American indigenous cultures regarding a community-centered way of life where humans, society, and nature are conceived as deeply interconnected and interdependent and where respect, harmony, and balance are meant to be at the core of these interrelationships (Cea et al., 2023). For instance, in the case of the Mapuche people from south Chile, a man “lives in harmony with himself, with his family, his community, the environment and the spiritual beings in which he believes, the complete balance between these elements allows a state of "küme mogñen" or good life” (Cea et al., 2023).
By using three fundamental elements of the buen vivir philosophy, we argue that a virtual utopia like the one proposed by Danaher firstly unnecessarily augments the environmental damage already involved in massive labor automation. Secondly, it entails an unnecessary and detrimental dependence on technology for human relationships at the base of community-building and, finally, increases the severance of the link between humanity and nature.
Interestingly, this approach is not a way of pulling the cables of technological development but instead asking what we value and how technology could help us promote those rather than the opposite. At the same time, putting Latin American philosophy in the context of technology on the table goes in line with UNESCO’s recommendation for AI ethics, which undermines the notion of local perspective on these global issues.
In essence, our critique invites a reevaluation of the trajectory of technological progress, urging us to prioritize values such as respect, harmony, and balance in our quest for a meaningful and fulfilling existence. By intertwining the wisdom of buen vivir with discussions on technology, we hope to contribute to a more holistic and ethically grounded approach to shaping our collective future.
Bibliography
Cea, Ignacio; Seeger, Anja Lueje & Wachter, Thomas (2023). Technological Unemployment and Meaning in Life, a Buen Vivir Critique of the Virtual Utopia. Humana Mente 16 (44).
https://www.ciperchile.cl/2023/11/17/una-vida-con-sentido-en-un-mundo-automatizado/
Chalmers, D. J. (2022). Reality+: Virtual worlds and the problems of philosophy. Penguin UK.
Keynes, J.M., (1930). Economic Possibilities for our grandchildren. In Essays in persuasion, 2010 (pp. 321-332). Palgrave Macmillan, London.