Abstract
Contrasting the phenomenological perspective with that presented by
Enlightenment thinking and its particular valuative structure, Chapter 10 delineates
some of the often-overlooked, negative effects of artificial intelligence on the general
populace. We review a variety of philosophical perspectives that treat the
underpinnings of Enlightenment thinking, leading to a discussion of the legitimation
crisis and its negative effects on democracy. The discussion then turns to a detailed
discussion of the practical and theoretical implications of apprehending time from a
phenomenological perspective as related to artificial intelligence. The final section of
the chapter is devoted to a critique of artificial intelligence, highlighting the
significance of instrumental reason and the notion of “progress”, and focusing on the
discursive power inherent in inventions that leverage AI.
Keywords: Contingency, Enlightenment, Horizon, Instrumentality, Logic, Legitimation Crisis, Public, Things, Understanding