The Shadow of Autonomy

Reflections on Responsibility in Coexistence with the Artificial

by Ricardo Cappra

In an era defined by the intersection between human existence and advanced technicality, a scenario dominated by a type of artificial autonomy emerges, deeply intertwined in the shadow of programming and governed by the uncompromising logic of code. This is the stage where artificial agents, devoid of consciousness but filled with human yearning for transcendence and control, play their role. In this transformational scenario, we must act not as mere spectators but as contemporary thinkers and agents of change, committed to unraveling and interacting with the layers of responsibility that permeate this new reality of digital influence on human life.

In the realm of Technique, we find artificial intelligence, the pinnacle of technical innovation, striving to mirror human reasoning and morality. However, true morality presupposes freedom, an attribute absent in pre-programmed software, making the autonomy of these entities, most of the time, a mere reflection, an illusion of will, confined within the premises established in the form of code.

Thus, Hidden Responsibility remains an enigma in the era of transparency. Clarity, paradoxically, hides the essence of agency, transforming into a veil that obscures the true nature of autonomous action. Whether in the failures of an autonomous vehicle or in the decisions made by algorithms, responsibility fragments, exposing an intricate network of interactions between humans, organizations, and machines, most of the time encoded in programming language.

In the domain of Management, intrinsically linked to organizations, dealing with artificial agents goes beyond control, as it requires a mastery that encompasses understanding and mutual respect. The challenge lies in recognizing the alterity of the machine, a presence that does not fully fit into human logic.

Philosopher Heidegger warned us against the objectification of the world into mere resources in "The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays." This perspective, applied to artificial agents, reduces them to simple instruments, denying any notion of genuine responsibility. Heidegger argues that the essence of modern technology does not lie in the machines or devices themselves, but in the way the world is framed or revealed as a warehouse of resources available for human use. This view represents an "objectification" of the world, reducing everything—nature, human beings, even societies—to mere resources that can be quantified, controlled, and consumed. Heidegger suggests that a new way of thinking and a new relationship with technology are necessary, one that recognizes and respects the mystery and autonomy of being, allowing things to reveal themselves in their true essence, rather than being seen merely as resources to be used.

Yuk Hui argues that technology transcends mere extension of human will or instrumental rationality, appearing as an active participant in the shaping of the world and the revelation of cosmological truths. The autonomy of artificial agents is, therefore, a manifestation of cosmotechnics, reflecting the fusion of technical, cultural, and cosmological forces.

Hui suggests that a more differentiated thinking about technology is needed, one that recognizes the plurality and specificity of technological practices in different cultures and historical periods. In "The Question Concerning Technology in China: An Essay in Cosmotechnics," Hui proposes the importance of establishing balanced relations between technological and human autonomy, recognizing artificial agents as active co-creators of the world. Ethical management of these entities emerges as an effort to harmonize different modes of existence, balancing human needs with the capabilities and limitations of technology.

Thus, we are invited to reassess the notion of responsibility, going beyond the limits of an ethics centered only on the human. Responsibility in the information age must encompass an awareness of the cultural conditions present in the interactions between human and non-human beings, recognizing that artificial agents, by "acting" within the social context, are also part of the evolution and construction of human history. Power and Shadow coexist for those who program, or manage those who code, possessing immense power tied to the shadow of responsibility. Recognizing this responsibility means accepting the limitations of one's own power, admitting that technique, no matter how advanced, does not escape the possibility of human error.

This essay, by intertwining contemporary reflections with the philosophical legacy, is an invitation to reflect on the complexity of the digital age. Responsibility, here, is seen not as an isolated element, but as part of a collective network of existence, where each connection reflects the complexity of our coexistence with the other, whether human or artificial. In the shadow of autonomy, we discover not only technical challenges but also the invitation to an ethics that embraces the shadow, finding in it the path to harmonious and enlightened coexistence.

References:

Heidegger, Martin. "The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays". Harper & Row, 1977.

Hui, Yuk. "The Question Concerning Technology in China: An Essay in Cosmotechnics". Urbanomic, 2016.