The Changing Definition of Human Nature From Traditional to Contemporary Approaches: A View of Human Nature in The Philosophy of Information

Authors : Nesibe Kantar

Pages : 381-414

Doi:10.20981/kaygi.1515142

View : 143 | Download : 117

Publication Date : 2024-09-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The issue of what human nature is an important issue for understanding the present and building the future. The place of human beings in the universe as well as their duty, their relationship with society, and their environment has been shaped by the meaning attributed to human nature. This article examines the transformation that the understanding of human nature in traditional philosophy has undergone after the information revolution from the perspective of information philosophy. Information technologies, which have integrated into every area of our lives after the information revolution, has deeply affected our scientific, economic, intellectual, and cultural activities. With the information revolution, human nature has been redefined with its characteristics that participate in design and creation activities, thanks to its interaction abilities, which are information-processing capacities, beyond biological and spiritual characteristics. The understanding of human nature has been addressed in different historical periods since the mythological period. The subject here is to evaluate the understanding of human nature from the traditional to the present. The anthropocentric understanding of humans, traditionally defined in the context of biological, physiological, and spiritual characteristics, is defined in the philosophy of information in a holistic context as an agent with information processing capacity, an informational object. As an entity that carries and processes information, humans are evaluated in the same category as information technologies such as cybernetic systems and artificial intelligence, although they have different characteristics, as informational objects. In addition, this study aims to provide a new perspective to the literature by examining the change process in the understanding of human nature.
Keywords : Bilişim Felsefesi, İnsan Doğası, Bilişim ve Teknolojileri, Yapay Zekâ, Sibernetik