New goals in a new era

by Athanassios Papandropoulos

Thus, our civilization is a complex one and certainly needs new kinds of interpretation. In this case, within our changing world, critical thinking is the process we use to reflect on, access and judge the assumptions underlying our own and others’ ideas and actions. 

We need to replace Socratic questioning to our way of thinking, if we want to expand our horizon beyond simple gathering information and relying on basic knowledge principles. Reviewing the literature on the Socratic method, Paul Baterman notes the following goals that the method seeks to develop:

1.Attitudes of inquiry that involve an ability to recognize the existence of problems and an acceptance of the general need for evidence in support of what is asserted to be true

2.Knowledge of the nature of valid inferences, abstractions and generalizations in which the weight of accuracy of various kinds of evidence are logically determined

3.Skills in employing and applying the above attitude and knowledge

4.The ability to recognize stated and unstated assumptions, and

5.The ability to draw conclusions validly and to judge the validity of inferences.

In other words, in our digital world, Socrates teaches us after 2.550 years that the best way to predict the future is to create it –which means that the future depends on enlightened people and leaders who are comfortable with global complexity, think horizontally and value people investing in their personal development. 

Since Prometheus stole the fire of knowledge from “right under the noses” of the gods on Mount Olympus and bestowed it upon mankind, humans have not stopped giddying with it, creating striking innovations all throughout their evolution. Over the course of history, mankind has perfected its condition and way of life, not only relaying on technical evolution, but also be reinventing resources created by new technical means.

Therefore, once again we stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. In its scale, scope and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything human kind has experienced before. 

We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear: the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global policy –from the public and private sector to academia and civil society.

Under these circumstances, we live in dynamic times, where the rate of innovation is very high. Technologies are emerging and affecting our lives in ways that indicate we face the beginning of a tremendous economic and social disruption. A new era that builds and extends the impact of digitalization in new ways,

It is therefore worthwhile taking some time to consider exactly what kind of shifts we are experiencing and how we might, collectively and individually, ensure that it creates benefits for the many rather than the few. This is the goal of this magazine. 

By our reflection we will try to ensure that emerging technologies and the new industrial revolution improve lives by creating greater possibilities and new ways to discuss the future and society.

As Dr. Claus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has written: “The new-technology age, if shaped in a responsive and responsible way, could catalyze a new cultural renaissance that will enable us to feel part of something much larger than ourselves –a true global civilization. 

We can use the Fourth Industrial Revolution to lift humanity into a new collective and moral consciousness based on a shared sense of destiny”.