While I appreciate the caution that many employ with generative AI, I think a category error was made. Too many people treated generative AI as an ethical “boogeyman” and not an epistemic “friend.”
In philosophy, something that is epistemic deals with the realm of knowledge – what can I know, how can I know it, what is worth knowing. There are multiple nuances, but, at face value, to consider the epistemic impact of a thing is simply to consider what that thing is saying about knowledge overall – both in its usefulness and truthfulness.
Regarding Generative AI, the first assumption many people made was to only think about ethical usage. But I think the first consideration should have been about epistemic impact. Why? Because the epistemic comes before the ethical. What I know about a thing informs me on how or if I should use it. The value I then give to that thing brings about ethical consideration. But notice that I consider the thing before I begin ascribing value or usefulness to it. I should seek to give understanding before I pass blind judgment. To fail to get this series of steps right illustrates hasty judgment.
Proverbs is a good help here. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” In numerous places we are told to get knowledge and wisdom, and then we will find understanding. I think we can make a direct application to Generative AI.
I can use Chat GPT, for example, to give me any number of outputs. It can generate a sermon or refine my lesson plans for the week. It can write a research paper, serve as a debate opponent, or write a report. In many ways, I can ask it for any number of criteria. But notice what comes first – not the ethical value – but the epistemic consideration. Before I can do anything with it, I must have wisdom and knowledge of a subject. In fact, to have something generated and submit it blindly as my own shows that I have neither knowledge nor wisdom and displays that I am far away from the fear of the Lord – I am the fool who despises those things!! Ethical value is entailed—connected to—the epistemic consideration.
In my life I wear many hats – husband, father, high school teacher, adjunct professor, coach, Sunday school teacher, and occasional guest preacher. I work with students daily, I minister weekly, and like everyone else – things are busy! This is not enough warrant to use Generative AI to plug-and-play an assignment. I would lose my voice and quickly find that my students or congregation were not getting me but a “vague copy” instead. I do not think this allows us to be utilitarian in our decisions, that the ends justify the means. But it does not also follow that I should never use Generative AI and that to do so somehow calls into question Christian integrity or faithfulness. At a minimum, we need to slow down, think about our thinking, and seek a direction toward wisdom. Undoubtedly, Generative AI can be used in numerous unethical ways. But this should not preclude our decision that the whole thing is then beyond the scope of usability because of fear of wrong judgment. In fact, we should hope to continue to acquire knowledge and wisdom that would help us to avoid engaging in hasty generalizations and judgment.
In ministering to those people in my immediate circles of influence, what does it communicate to them if I am not thoughtful or deliberate in my own consideration of things? The answer is that we must be thoughtful and charitable in those things that we would normally quickly judge to be problematic, and that we take some time to think before we begin burning bridges. In all things, give me wisdom; in matters of opinion, give me charity; and in my Christian life, let me be pointed towards Christ. As Proverbs tells us – seek knowledge, seek wisdom, and there you will find the fear of the Lord.
No comments have been added.