While Considering AI, Don’t Forget About Genuine Wisdom

We’re hearing a lot these days about “AI.” In case you’re not aware, it stands for Artificial Intelligence. I don’t know a lot about it, but there’s an AI app that says it can “quickly turn keywords into thoughtful articles, product language and social media copy.” From what I gather, students can use apps like this to write their college essays; news reporters can use them to write their articles; and they might even be an instant cure for aspiring novelists suffering from writer’s block.

 

In a broader sense, what this means to me is that people aren’t doing a lot of deep thinking these days. By using AI, they’ll be able to get by with doing even less of it. Kind of reminds me of the cartoon about some extraterrestrials who visited Earth in search of intelligent life. They soon went home, concluding it was a waste of time.

 

Here’s one intriguing definition for AI that I came across: “Artificial intelligence is a field of science concerned with building computers and machines that can reason, learn, and act in such a way that would normally require human intelligence or that involves data whose scale exceeds what humans can analyze.”

 

This conjures up images of the rogue computer HAL in Stanley Kubrick’s science-fiction film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” As I recall that story didn’t end well. And maybe this science won’t remain fiction for much longer.

 

My purpose isn’t to weigh the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, especially given my limited familiarity with it. But today we have a far greater need in society and our entire planet: Genuine wisdom.

We’ve been living in the so-called ‘information age.’ The amount of information and knowledge being amassed is unprecedented – and it’s growing exponentially. But facts, information, knowledge and data don’t necessarily make us wise. They might even have the opposite effect.

 

But where do we find wisdom? I don’t recall seeing a Wisdom department at Walmart, Costco or Target. Even Amazon doesn’t sell it. But it’s readily available – and free – at one reliable source; the Bible. In fact, the Scriptures include several books of so-called “wisdom literature,” including Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and portions of the Psalms.

 

Proverbs opens with its stated purpose, “for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” A few verses later it presents these words of caution: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:12-3,7).

 

Recently I was reading the Proverbs chapter that corresponds to the date of the month. In this case it was the 15^th. I was struck by the chapter’s emphasis on one means for gaining wisdom – through correction and discipline. Few of us awaken in the morning hoping to be corrected or disciplined that day, but Proverbs 15 repeatedly says it’s wise to listen to and respond to caring correction and discipline when it’s needed. To reject it is to play the fool. Consider:

 

“A fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence” (Proverbs 15:5).

“Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die…. A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise” (Proverbs 15:10,12).

“A man finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word!” (Proverbs 15:23).

“He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding” (Proverbs 15:31-32).

 

These and many other verses throughout Proverbs say nothing about artificial intelligence. Nor do they recommend how best to deal with the avalanche of information and knowledge overwhelming us. But they do speak volumes about old-fashioned common sense and its close relative, wisdom.

 

Besides discipline and correction, Proverbs offers divine insight into a variety of other topics. Among them are anger, conflict, counsel and guidance, discernment, jealousy, friendship, generosity, greed, grief, joy, hard work, honesty and integrity, humility, pride, justice, leadership, communications, finances, planning, security, and even co-signing for other people’s loans.

 

Any of those subjects of interest to you?

 

It seems artificial intelligence is something we’ll have to deal with for a long time – for better or for worse. But the timeless wisdom of the Scriptures, not just in Proverbs but throughout the Old and New Testaments, is unsurpassed. It’s good that it’s available to us for free. Because it’s priceless.