For better decision making, humans must develop the ability to differentiate noise from intuition and achieve wisdom, a field where machines can only assist, not replace.
Human thinking needs constant improvement. The Greeks said “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” and modern life confronts us with complex mental challenges. The body acts as the vehicle of a mind that thinks: the intellectual works through words and concepts, while the man of action does so through people and objects. Both constitute the “Creator”, an individual capable of integrating mind and body to adapt to their environment.
Mark Twain said: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know, but what we believe with certainty and that simply isn’t the case.”. The mortgage crisis in the United States, symbolized by the fall of Lehman Brothers in 2008, surprised many, although for some it was foreseeable. Those who saw the obvious were considered pessimists or “killjoys.” However, the ability to observe and question dominant assumptions is critical to anticipating risks.
Today, when faced with critical situations, we find two opposing positions: those who believe that “this time it will turn out well” and those who maintain “I warned you.” While the former focus on macroeconomics, the latter observe microeconomic performance. This contrast highlights the need for a perspective that integrates both angles. Thinking capable of appreciating nuances and understanding complexity allows for better-informed decisions. Desire, conviction and enthusiasm are fundamental drivers for decision-making and action; However, acting with awareness of the risks is more prudent than acting blindly.
Edgar Morin, in 2000, highlighted that what is interconnected cannot be understood separately. The mind that ignores context creates blind, unaware and irresponsible individuals. Economics, by limiting itself to what is quantifiable, ignores essential human factors, such as emotions and needs. The most mathematically advanced science is, humanly, one of the most limited. According to Morin, well-ordered thinking explores the relationship between the whole and its parts. A reform of thought would unify science and humanism, returning to education its purpose of forming organized minds adaptable to uncertainty.
Philip Kotler redesigned the classic pyramid of knowledge (data, information, knowledge, wisdom), adding “noise” at the base and “intuition” at the top. In the digital age, we will have an abundance of data and information, but a scarcity of insight. To make decisions, humans must develop the ability to differentiate noise from intuition and achieve wisdom, a field where machines can only assist, not replace. Complexity needs to be organized critically, avoiding simplifications or one-dimensional visions.
Orderly thinking cannot ignore the role of current politics, which takes advantage of popular anger through digital strategies to manipulate emotions. This “politics of outrage” generates hatred and polarization, using fake profiles or avatars to influence society. Machines, although they allow technological advances, can also consolidate biases and reduce our critical capacity. Preventing human thinking from becoming a “mental cage” is essential in an environment dominated by algorithms that interpret and shape reality.
When Elon Musk and Sam Altman launched ChatGPT, they opened a technological “Pandora’s box.” While Big Tech accumulates power, the debate about whether we are losing basic human skills remains open. Artificial intelligence must act as a resource that complements, not replaces, our capabilities. Politics and ethics must guide technological development, ensuring that technology helps us without jeopardizing social and human achievements.
