THE END IS ROOTED IN THE MEANS

Fig. 1 Ethic and Democracy
 A Lesson by Pope Leo XIV in a World “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”

During the Renaissance, Niccolò Machiavelli taught the powerful that "the end justifies the means." Today, the global community, in view of the enormous challenges it faces, has no choice but to reject this ethic and replace it with one that opens the doors to a future of new humanistic progress: "the end is rooted in the means."

Recently, Pope Leo XIV, in his criticism of the President of the United States, offered several insights into this New Humanism. One such insight is found in the Pope's message in April to the participants in the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, held from April 14 to 16, 2026, in Rome.

It demonstrates how "authentic democracy" (the end) is rooted in the moral law (the means), particularly in the moral virtues of "justice," "fortitude," and "temperance."

See: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/pont-messages/2026/documents/20260401-messaggio-pass.html

 

Ancient Greece - 35 personalities

 GOLDEN AGE OF ANCIENT GREECE – The Cradle of Western Civilization

Fig. 1 The life span of 35 personalities who shaped the Golden Age of Ancient Greece

Battle of Marathon 499 BC

POLITICS
Miltiades the Younger 550-489 (61)
Aristides 530-468 (62)
Themistocles 524-459 (65)
Pericles 495-429 (66)
DELIAN LEAGUE 478-404 (74)
Alcibiades 450-404 (46)
Alexander the Great 356 – 323 (33)

HISTORY
Herodotus 484-425 (59)
Thucydides 460-400 (60)
Callisthenes of Olynthus 360-337 (33)

MEDICINE
Hippocrates 460-370 (90)

PHILOSOPHY
Heraclitus 544-484 (60) 
Anaxagoras 500-428 (72)
Protagoras 490-420 (70)
Zeno of Elea 490-430 (60)
Gorgias 483-375 (108)
Socrates 470-399 (71)
Democritus 460-370 (90)
Platon 428-348 (80)
Diogenes of Sinope 413-324 (89)
Aristoteles 384-322 (62)
Theophrastus 371-287 (84)
Crates of Thebes 365-285 (80)
Epicurus 341-270 (71)

THEATRE
Aeschylus 525-455 (70)
Euripides 480-406 (74)
Sophocles 496-406 (90)
Aristophanes 446-386 (60)
Menander 342-290 (52)

SCULPTURE
Polycleitus 490-420 (70) 
Phidias 480-430 (50) 
Praxiteles 395-326 (69)
Lysippos 390-300 (90)

RHETORIC
Lysias 460-380 (80)
Demosthenes 384-322 (62)

SCIENCE
Cleostratus of Tenedos 520-432 (88)
Euclid 350-270 (80)

 

Limits of AI

THE LIMITS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) - Five Theses

  # ΤΑ ΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΤΗΣ ΝΟΗΜΟΣΥΝΗΣ (AI) - Πέντε Θέσεις

Fig. 1 SI = Simulated Intelligence - SI = Προσομοιωμένη Νοημοσύνη

1. AI is only SI, i.e., Simulated Intelligence 
   #AI (Τεχνητή Νοημοσύνη) είναι μόνο SI, δηλαδή Προσομοιωμένη Νοημοσύνη 

   
   => AI systems are machines which simulate intelligence through statistical operations;  what they produce look as if they were products of intelligence, but they are not, thus deceiving its users.
   
   # Τα συστήματα AI είναι μηχανές που προσομοιώνουν τη νοημοσύνη μέσω στατιστικών λειτουργιών. Αυτό που παράγουν μοιάζει σαν να είναι προϊόντα νοημοσύνης, αλλά δεν είναι, εξαπατώντας έτσι τους χρήστες του.
   
   

2. AI is only plagiarism 
   #Η AI είναι απλώς λογοκλοπή

   
   => AI systems search gigantic databases and extract existing texts.
   
   # Τα συστήματα AI αναζητούν γιγάντιες βάσεις δεδομένων και εξάγουν υπάρχοντα κείμενα.
   
   

3. AI only re-produces "mainstream" ideas 
   # Η AI αναπαράγει μόνο «mainstream» ιδέες

   
   => AI systems do not generate new ideas; they merely select and combine existing texts based on their popularity, not originality.
   
   #Τα συστήματα AI δεν δημιουργούν νέες ιδέες. Απλώς επιλέγουν και συνδυάζουν υπάρχοντα κείμενα με βάση τη δημοτικότητά τους και όχι την πρωτοτυπία.
   
   

4. AI is mainly useful for routine tasks 
   # Η AI είναι χρήσιμη κυρίως για εργασίες ρουτίνας

   
   => AI systems cannot perform interesting, novel tasks (which require experience and creativity).
   
   # Τα συστήματα AI δεν μπορούν να εκτελέσουν ενδιαφέρουσες, πρωτότυπες εργασίες (οι οποίες απαιτούν εμπειρία και δημιουργικότητα).

5. AI can support humans in some creative tasks
   # Η AI μπορεί να υποστηρίξει τους ανθρώπους σε ορισμένες δημιουργικές εργασίες

   
   => but the creativity impulses must come from the human being
   
   # αλλά οι δημιουργικές παρορμήσεις πρέπει να προέρχονται από τον άνθρωπο.