Why Artificial Intelligence Cannot Replace the Nurse in Healthcare: A (Neo)Thomistic Approach

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Philosophy of Technology
• Bioethics

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into nursing care.
• Scholarly debate exists on whether AI can substitute for nurses in healthcare settings.
• The fundamental nature of AI and its implications for nursing practice require examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate that the nature of AI is fundamentally distinct from that of a nurse.
• To argue that AI cannot replace nurses in patient care.
• To explore the philosophical underpinnings of AI's role in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• The study employs a philosophical approach, referencing the scholastic principle "agere sequitur esse" (action follows being).
• It draws upon the classical conception of the human being as developed by (neo)Thomists, particularly Thomas Aquinas.
• The argument analyzes the essential components of human personhood and contrasts them with the capabilities of AI.

Main Results:

• AI lacks essential personal components crucial for meeting patients' unique needs.
• The nature of AI is fundamentally different from the nature of a nurse.
• AI is not endowed with the personal capacities necessary for providing comprehensive patient care.

Conclusions:

• According to (neo)Thomistic assumptions, AI cannot replace nurses.
• AI cannot be considered an equal partner to nurses in patient care.
• AI should be viewed solely as a therapeutic tool within the healthcare context.