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Translational Therapeutics

The scienthetic method: from Aristotle to AI and the future of medicine

British Journal of Cancer (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

While AI holds immense potential for accelerating advances in oncology, we must be intentional in developing and applying these technologies responsibly, equitably, and ethically. One path forward is for cancer care providers and researchers to be among the architects of AI and its adoption in medicine. Given the limitations of traditional top-down, hypothesis-driven design in an exponentially expanding data universe, on one hand, and the danger of spiraling into artificial ignorance (ai) from rushing into a purely ‘synthetic’ method on the other, this article proposes a ‘scienthetic’ method that synergizes AI with human wisdom. Tracing philosophical underpinnings of the scientific method from Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to the present, it examines the critical juncture at which AI stands to either augment or undermine new knowledge. The scienthetic method seeks to harness the power and capabilities of AI responsibly, equitably, and ethically to transcend the limitations of both the traditional scientific method and purely synthetic methods, by intentionally weaving machine intelligence together with human wisdom.

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Acknowledgements

This and associated works were supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (TI-2321805), the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (1R43CA254493-01), The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, and Innovate Alabama. I am also grateful to my colleagues at The Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Aga Khan University Nairobi Cancer Centre for their support and collaboration. I would also like to acknowledge OpenAI ChatGPT for its critical analysis of my manuscript, exemplifying the synergy between human and machine intelligence that this article suggests.

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  1. CerFlux, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Karim I. Budhwani

  2. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Karim I. Budhwani

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  1. Karim I. Budhwani
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All contributions were from the single author.

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Correspondence to Karim I. Budhwani.

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Competing interests

KIB’s work has been funded by the NIH, the NSF, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, and Innovate Alabama. He is CEO-Scientist of CerFlux and is co-inventor of issued (and pending) patents pertaining to in vitro, in silico, ex vivo, and cancer supermodel technologies.

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Budhwani, K.I. The scienthetic method: from Aristotle to AI and the future of medicine. Br J Cancer (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-024-02841-1

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