La filosofia e lo specchio delle macchine

Thoughts and images—even though they are often characterized as opposite—are deeply intertwined in philosophy: in fact, images and metaphors have always been valuable mediums in the formulation of concepts and ideas. If it makes little sense, then, to ban images from philosophy, by the same token it becomes necessary to provide a critical assessment of the images that influence philosophical thought. In accordance with this perspective, the essay explores the many ways in which the machine as a mirrored image of ourselves impinges on our understanding of the self and the world. On the one hand, machines as technical artefacts are expressions of human activities, thoughts, and desires. On the other hand, new “autonomous” technologies bring about disruptive changes in our self-understanding, in our relation to the world, and in the way the sense of responsibility that is attached to our agency is conceived. The complex mirroring process that occurs between us and our machines calls for an ethical reflection capable not only of thinking what it means to be human in the age of autonomous technologies, but also of extending responsibility beyond the practical domain over which we can exercise full control.