Examining Aristotle's Substance

Does A.I. Autonomy Warrant a Reinterpretation of Artifacts and Natural Substances?

Abstract

When examining Aristotle’s works, it is difficult to properly explain his account of substance, and even more so to understand what things can be considered as natural substances. Typically, artifacts have been believed not to be natural substances, since they lack a certain autonomy living organisms have. However, this argument may not be fully adequate depending on how “artifact” and “organism” are understood. I argue that due to advances in the autonomy of Artificial Intelligence, a reinterpretation of the distinction between artifacts and natural substances could be warranted.