René Descartes. I think, therefore I am
The bitter truth is that human life is full of paradoxes and limitations, which make us futilely search for meanings, overcome difficulties, and adapt to changes.
A person has the ability for self-analysis or reflection, which goes beyond purely instinctive behavior. It is the ego that makes one unique, but at the same time vulnerable. Awareness of one's own "self" and the search for meaning in life can lead to internal conflicts and doubts.
A person is constantly in a futile search for harmony between their nature and a world that is initially not adapted for humans but is constantly transformed by them.
A significant part of our psyche and motivation is hidden from our conscious "self." This creates additional difficulties in self-knowledge, as how can one know what is beyond conscious control?
Human civilization has developed thanks to the ability to overcome difficulties in unconventional ways, seek solutions, create, and implement innovations.
René Descartes' thought gained new strength with the advent of artificial intelligence. However, it is important to understand that AI's work does not correspond to human thinking. AI makes decisions based on the analysis of large volumes of information. Its thinking is the execution of certain instructions, not a process of independent reflection. From the point of view of existence, AI exists as a complex of software and hardware capable of performing tasks that imitate some aspects of human intelligence. But if existence is understood as the presence of consciousness or self-awareness, then current technologies do not yet possess these qualities. AI is a product of human intelligence or a tool, not an independent subject of consciousness.
Our understanding of existence may be limited not only by our cognitive abilities but also by the language we use to describe reality.
Descartes' statement "I think, therefore I am" indeed implies that the fact of thinking is proof of the existence of a thinking subject. This statement is based on the premise that the ability to think is impossible without the existence of the object that engages in it. However, the reverse statement "I exist, therefore I think" is not always true.