The Third Culture - The Impact of AI on Knowledge, Society and Consciousness in the 21st Century

We are currently witnessing the emergence of a 'third culture', driven by unprecedented developments that are changing the playing field. These include advances in AI, big data analysis and robotics. The traditional 'two cultures' view (S. P. Snow) distinguishes between the sciences and the humanities. The wisdoms these two cultures offer are separated from each other, with little to no interaction or mutual comprehension. However, over the past two decades, and for the first time in human history, a new, third culture has appeared. This new culture, rooted in new technologies, not only pursues its own form of rationality but also supports advances in the original two cultures, deepening and expanding our individual and collective consciousness so that we can see more and do better. It will eventually give rise to new forms of consciousness based not on biochemical signals, but on copper wires and lithium chips. These new machine intelligences will change the world and force us to realise: we are no longer alone. The human species' position in the twenty-first century will be fundamentally redefined: not as a conductor leading the orchestra, but a single string player within it.



Stefan Brunnhuber is medical director, chief medical officer and professor for sustainability and finance at the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida (Germany). He is a member of the European Academy of Science and Arts (EASA), the Board of Trustees at the World Academy of Arts and Science (WAAS) and full member of the Club of Rome. He was scientific advisor to the EU-Commission (2009), member of the Lancet-commission (2021-22), founding member of the Alma Mater Europeae (2011) and Senator (elected 2015-2020) of the European Academy of Science and Arts (EASA). He serves since 2022 as member of the German federal board of 'Sustainable Finance' to the German government.