Toward an Ethics of Flourishing

The challenge before us is not to halt AI but to humanize it. Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia—flourishing through virtue—offers a compass. Imagine AI that prioritizes empathy over engagement: sentiment analysis tools detecting depression in a teenager's texts and connecting them to care. Imagine machine learning models that democratize knowledge, breaking language barriers for refugees or translating indigenous oral histories. Imagine energy grids optimized by AI to end fossil fuel dependence.

This vision is achievable, but only if we shift our metrics of success. Feminist ethics of care, which prioritize relationality over individualism, could reshape AI design. Indigenous frameworks like the Navajo Hózhó, which emphasizes harmony with nature, offer alternatives to Silicon Valley's extractive mindset. Even Levinas' philosophy—which roots ethics in the "face of the Other"—could inspire systems that recognize human vulnerability rather than exploit it.