Diana Aurenque: Maybe in the future we'll have kids who are very connected, but unable to recognize in each other the need for a hug

Diana Aurenque, a Chilean philosopher and author, has raised concerns about how modern technology might be reshaping human emotional intelligence. In her latest essay, Amoroso animal, published by Sudamericana, she argues that while digital connectivity may enhance cognitive stimulation, it risks diminishing our ability to recognize and respond to emotional cues such as shame, modesty, or the need for physical affection. Aurenque's reflections come amid growing discussions about the impact of smartphones and social media on interpersonal relationships. She suggests that the increasing reliance on screens could lead to a future where individuals are highly connected yet emotionally less attuned. This notion echoes similar concerns expressed by other thinkers, including the Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han, who has noted that digital interactions often replace face-to-face communication. In Amoroso animal, Aurenque explores the essence of human connection through the lens of affective intelligence. Drawing on the work of biologist Humberto Maturana, she describes humans as mammals who have evolved to understand others through touch, specifically, through the tactile experience of being caressed. According to Aurenque, this physical interaction allows us to detach sufficiently to meet another’s gaze, creating a foundation for emotional engagement with the world. The book continues a trilogy that began with Animales enfermos and Animal ancestral. In these earlier works, Aurenque examined humanity’s condition through philosophical and biological frameworks. Now, she reframes the concept of the "sick animal," originally proposed by Friedrich Nietzsche, into that of the "loving animal." For Aurenque, love emerges from collaboration, cooperation, and mutual care within early communities. Her exploration of why humans seek companionship and commit to relationships extends beyond mere survival instincts. While some theories suggest that such bonds stem from fear, as Thomas Hobbes argued, Aurenque proposes that they arise from a deeply intuitive and emotional rationality developed through communal living. She views love as both an adaptive mechanism and a conscious choice, an intricate balance between instinct and intentionality. Aurenque’s personal experiences have influenced her perspective on love and loss. Based in Germany, where she is an academic at the Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine at the University of Tübingen, she reflects on how the death of her father shaped her understanding of community and connection. The experience of grief, she notes, highlights how love can be intellectually stimulating and emotionally profound. Despite acknowledging the potential challenges of love, its capacity to complicate life and bring pain, Aurenque emphasizes its transformative power. Love, she argues, enriches existence by opening individuals to new dimensions of suffering and empathy. It compels people to prioritize the well-being of others, even at great personal cost. This willingness to embrace vulnerability, she says, is central to the human experience. While artificial intelligence might conclude that love is not always beneficial due to its potential for suffering, Aurenque believes that humans find meaning precisely through these complex emotional connections. In a world where traditional notions of divinity have faded, as Nietzsche suggested, the human condition becomes tragically aware of its own mortality. Yet, Aurenque insists, love offers a counterbalance, a force that enables individuals to transcend death by remembering those they cherish.