Philosophy and Intelligence: Understanding Human Existence

Philosophy: The Love of Wisdom

The reflection method that reflects the articulation of knowledge and the limits of existence and modes of being is called philosophy. The term, of Greek origin, is composed of two words: philos (love) and sophia (thought, wisdom, knowledge). Therefore, philosophy is the love of knowledge.

The philosopher, in turn, is an individual seeking knowledge for knowledge itself, without a pragmatic view. They are moved by curiosity and inquire about the ultimate foundations of reality. Beyond the development of philosophy as a discipline, the act of philosophizing is intrinsic to the human condition. It is not just concrete knowledge, but a natural attitude of humans in relation to the universe and their own being.

Like religion, philosophy focuses on the ultimate questions of human existence. However, unlike religion, it is not based on divine revelation or faith, but on reason. In this way, philosophy can be defined as the rational analysis of the meaning of human existence, both individually and collectively, based on the understanding of being. Despite some similarities with science, philosophy differs from it as many of its questions cannot be answered through experimental empiricism.

Branches of Philosophy

Philosophy can be divided into several branches:

• The philosophy of being includes metaphysics, ontology, and cosmology, among other disciplines.
• The philosophy of knowledge includes logic and epistemology.
• The philosophy of work relates to issues such as ethics.

Intelligence: The Ability to Choose Wisely

The term "intelligence" comes from the Latin intelligentia, which in turn derives from inteligere. This is a word composed of two terms: intus (between) and legere (to choose). Therefore, the etymological origin of the term "intelligence" refers to those who know how to choose: intelligence allows one to select the best options to resolve an issue.

Types of Intelligence

The definitions of intelligence can be classified into different groups:

• Psychological intelligence: Cognitive ability, learning, and relationships.
• Biological intelligence: The ability to adapt to new situations.
• Operational intelligence: Other definitions.

In all cases, intelligence includes the ability to understand, assimilate, develop, and use information appropriately.

Artificial Intelligence

Finally, it is important to note the concept of artificial intelligence, developed to describe systems created by humans. An artificial intelligence system must be able to plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn.