Panda PK. Letter to the Editor: Artificial wisdom and the transience of truth: Ethical and temporal reflections on artificial intelligence-human inquiry into history. World J Methodol 2026; 16(3): 116140 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.116140]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Prasan Kumar Panda, Department of Internal Medicine (ID Division), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, College Block, Rishikesh 249203, India. motherprasanna@rediffmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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letter
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Panda PK. Letter to the Editor: Artificial wisdom and the transience of truth: Ethical and temporal reflections on artificial intelligence-human inquiry into history. World J Methodol 2026; 16(3): 116140 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.116140]
World J Methodol. Sep 20, 2026; 16(3): 116140 Published online Sep 20, 2026. doi: 10.5662/wjm.116140
Letter to the Editor: Artificial wisdom and the transience of truth: Ethical and temporal reflections on artificial intelligence-human inquiry into history
Prasan Kumar Panda
Prasan Kumar Panda, Department of Internal Medicine (ID Division), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India
Author contributions: Panda PK provided the concept, interpreted the analysis, wrote and critically reviewed the draft, and approved it for publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: I declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
Corresponding author: Prasan Kumar Panda, Department of Internal Medicine (ID Division), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, College Block, Rishikesh 249203, India. motherprasanna@rediffmail.com
Received: November 4, 2025 Revised: December 6, 2025 Accepted: January 12, 2026 Published online: September 20, 2026 Processing time: 248 Days and 22.7 Hours
Abstract
Zhou et al published a study in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology, which aimed to examines the concept of artificial wisdom (AW) as applied to historical medical inquiry, in response to a recent artificial intelligence (AI)-human analysis of Alexander the Great’s cause of death. While acknowledging the innovative integration of generative AI with clinical reasoning, the letter highlights key epistemic and ethical limitations. It argues that AI systems, inherently shaped by transient data and iterative obsolescence, cannot access enduring or timeless truths, particularly in historically remote contexts where evidence is fragmentary and context-dependent. The persuasive fluency of large language models risks creating an illusion of certainty, conflating probabilistic synthesis with wisdom. Drawing on principles of ethical AI use, the letter emphasizes transparency, accountability, and human moral stewardship as essential safeguards. Ultimately, it proposes a shift from the notion of AW toward epistemic stewardship, recognizing that truth evolves with time and that wisdom resides not in algorithms, but in ethically grounded human judgment.
Core Tip: This letter challenges the concept of artificial wisdom (AW) by emphasizing that truth is transient, not eternal, and therefore cannot be captured by algorithms that age with time. It argues that artificial intelligence can simulate reasoning but not embody wisdom, which requires ethical constancy, humility, and temporal awareness. True progress lies not in AW, but in responsible epistemic stewardship that honors both ethics and impermanence.
