In “Technology and Theoretical Intelligence,” the fourth chapter of Frederick Ferré’s book “Philosophy of Technology,” Ferré describes the growth of theoretical intelligence, further differentiating it from practical intelligence.
A notable limitation of practical intelligence is a lack of self-reflection. Theoretical intelligence contrasts this limitation with the involvement of what can be endless self-reflection. Theoretical intelligence can be thought to exist by and through the imagination – a product of raw cognition – knowing no limit. Practical intelligence also suffers from a singular pragmatic aim of providing practical solutions to real-world problems, which can result in the progress-stifling phenomenon of obscurantism. Theoretical intelligence can be said to function ‘above’ the world instead of being bound ‘inside’ of the world like practical intelligence. It is drastically less prone to obscurantism. Theoretical intelligence is only known to exist in human beings.
Unimplemented theoretical intelligence, the ‘natural science’ of the ancient Greeks, can be thought of as ‘pre-science.’ Theoretical intelligence does not provide a basis for choice – it can exist as endless theorizing without desiring the creation of a palpable result. The creation or recognition of distinctions and details are a strength of theoretical intelligence. Inferring the occurrences of events through logical connections and the ability to create comprehensive or systematic conclusions are some additional strengths of theoretical intelligence. Theoretical intelligence has an innate intrinsic value.
Ferré goes on to describe how practical intelligence and theoretical intelligence grew to become unified over the course of recent centuries. The resultant fusion is the substance of contemporary notions of science, invention, or innovation: techno-scientific thinking.
Futurism and the predictions made by futurists can encompass all technological artifacts when a most-macroscopic perspective is taken. Futurist predictions draw from dozens of disciplines, meaning the artifacts of fields like economics, biology, chemistry, sociology, industry, academia, agriculture, or computing can each be included. Futurist thought is often associated with the rise of computers and the internet. The ubiquitous adoption of what we call “technology” has accelerated all related forms of “progress” and change. Some more concrete examples of such artifacts are the internet itself, any personal computer, the stock market, and CRISPR. Some more abstract examples are modern diplomacy, any form of recording media, the institution of education, genetic modification of food crops, automated production lines, or the degree programs offered by universities. A general AI or a commercially available quantum computer are examples tied to advances in computing. Seemingly disconnected or tangential to futurism, art or linguistics could nonetheless act as ‘butterfly effect’ factors across time. Many aspects of psychology are involved in predicting how individuals and large-scale social groups will react to the products of their own techno-scientific thinking. Humanity and the human condition can be considered artifacts. Futurism necessitates the examination of chains of inferences – a synoptic effort of the most-immense scale.
Dark Age Two 