PRAGMATIC THINKER
Dr. Rebekka Reinhard makes philosophy accessible and shows how it can be a tool for surviving times of change.
Your passion for philosophy started in childhood. What questions
interested you back then?
Highly abstract topics. I was dying to know what the universe
is or why nothingness exists. After school, there was no
question that I would study anything other than philosophy.
You didn’t stay at university in a traditional sense, but you make
philosophy accessible. What issues are most important to you?
I am a bit of a non-conformist and want to find out how
philosphy
can help us in real life. I used to philosophise
with people in psychiatry and oncology; now, I advise
decision-makers in the business world.
What kinds of questions come up?
With illness, it’s often about the big issues in life: meaning,
love, death, freedom. But they affect us all. What yields
success,
in view of our finite nature? Why are we here? What
is important in times of multiple crises?
How do today’s crises influence our society?
We are experiencing a massive cultural change, a paradigm
shift, in part due to globalisation and the ever-increasing
presence of AI. Many people feel unsettled. What we need
now are constants. Sustainable and meaningful alternatives
to short-term pleasure and cheap consumption. The same
applies
to fashion. Style endures – because especially in times
of change, the question arises: What will last?
In your recently published book, “Die Kunst, gut zu sein”, you also
write about “slow happiness”. What do you mean by that?
To the extent that tangible sources of meaning are dwindling,
we should focus on the here and now. On small
moments
– and not on one big kick. Being kinder to others
will make us stronger, too, especially now.
Change also includes AI, which is the focus of the magazine you
founded: “human”. How does AI fit in with philosophy?
AI confronts us with lots of ethical and epistemological questions:
How is knowledge created? What role do prejudices
play? How can we create a fair society? Since AI reproduces
what it is taught, it is extremely important that it contains the
perspectives of a wide variety of people and groups.
Should we be afraid of artificial intelligence?
No. I think we should be more afraid of people who abuse
the technology. Take deep fakes, for example. AI is a learning
system and it learns from what we teach it and from our
behaviour. That’s why I recommend saying please and
thank you when prompting.
Your passion for philosophy started in childhood. What questions
interested you back then?
Highly abstract topics. I was dying to know what the universe
is or why nothingness exists. After school, there was no
question that I would study anything other than philosophy.
You didn’t stay at university in a traditional sense, but you make
philosophy accessible. What issues are most important to you?
I am a bit of a non-conformist and want to find out how
philosphy
can help us in real life. I used to philosophise
with people in psychiatry and oncology; now, I advise
decision-makers in the business world.
What kinds of questions come up?
With illness, it’s often about the big issues in life: meaning,
love, death, freedom. But they affect us all. What yields
success,
in view of our finite nature? Why are we here? What
is important in times of multiple crises?
How do today’s crises influence our society?
We are experiencing a massive cultural change, a paradigm
shift, in part due to globalisation and the ever-increasing
presence of AI. Many people feel unsettled. What we need
now are constants. Sustainable and meaningful alternatives
to short-term pleasure and cheap consumption. The same
applies
to fashion. Style endures – because especially in times
of change, the question arises: What will last?
In your recently published book, “Die Kunst, gut zu sein”, you also
write about “slow happiness”. What do you mean by that?
To the extent that tangible sources of meaning are dwindling,
we should focus on the here and now. On small
moments
– and not on one big kick. Being kinder to others
will make us stronger, too, especially now.
Change also includes AI, which is the focus of the magazine you
founded: “human”. How does AI fit in with philosophy?
AI confronts us with lots of ethical and epistemological questions:
How is knowledge created? What role do prejudices
play? How can we create a fair society? Since AI reproduces
what it is taught, it is extremely important that it contains the
perspectives of a wide variety of people and groups.
Should we be afraid of artificial intelligence?
No. I think we should be more afraid of people who abuse
the technology. Take deep fakes, for example. AI is a learning
system and it learns from what we teach it and from our
behaviour. That’s why I recommend saying please and
thank you when prompting.
CREDITS
Photography: Sima Dehgani, Art Direction: Julia Schmidt, Production: Vanessa Zeeh, Hair & Make-up: Emily Schembera
Photography: Sima Dehgani, Art Direction: Julia Schmidt, Production: Vanessa Zeeh, Hair & Make-up: Emily Schembera
