Pedro Luiz Caetano Filho

This book offers a comprehensive philosophical investigation of contemporary artificial intelligence through the interconnected domains of metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Drawing on both classical philosophical debates and recent developments in machine learning, neural networks, and large language models, the authors examine fundamental questions concerning the nature of intelligence, consciousness, knowledge, responsibility, and moral agency in artificial systems. The work contrasts functionalist and biological-naturalist theories of mind, analyzes the epistemic opacity of “black-box” AI systems, explores algorithmic bias and justice, and investigates ethical dilemmas involving autonomous systems, surveillance, manipulation, and the future of labor. Beyond theoretical analysis, the book situates AI within broader historical, technical, and sociopolitical contexts, including Latin American and Brazilian perspectives often neglected in dominant anglophone discussions. A distinctive methodological feature of the work is its explicit reflection on the use of generative AI systems as collaborative instruments in philosophical research and writing, accompanied by proposals for transparent and ethically responsible academic practices. Intended both for students and researchers, the book combines technical accessibility with analytical rigor, aiming to provide conceptual tools for critically understanding the philosophical challenges posed by artificial intelligence in the twenty-first century.