The Relation between Human and Artificial Intellect in the Light of Key Philosophical Concepts
Dianoesis June 7, 2026 DOI: 10.12681/dia.45782 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the historical divine-human creator relationship offers insight into human-AI dynamics, and proposes that the capacity for genuine scientific discovery may distinguish the human mind from the AI "mind" if fully mechanical intelligent systems remain unattainable. |
Abstract
This article examines the convergences and divergences between the human mind and the AI “mind” by drawing on historical philosophical accounts of the relationship between divine and human intellect. The relation conceived between the divine as creator and the human as created may offer insight into the present and future dynamics between human creators and AI systems. Elements such as governance, causality, chance, necessity, reduction, consciousness and unconscious serve as guiding posts in this intellectual journey through the thought of Anaxagoras, Plato, Democritus, the Stoics, Descartes, Leibniz, Nietzsche, Frege, Russell, Ramanujan, Gödel, Jung, Pauli and Monod. Should a fully mechanical and self-sufficient intelligent system remain beyond reach, a central criterion for distinguishing the human mind from the AI “mind” may be found in the capacity for genuine scientific discovery. The article concludes with a discussion of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), the horizon of possibilities it opens, as well as the ethical issues and potential dangers associated with its development.