How Philosophy Contributes to Futures Thinking?

Philosophers have long debated the nature of the past, present, and future. For some metaphysicians, the future is real; for others, it is not. Despite such objections, Futures Thinking and its various applications are now receiving unprecedented attention, largely due to the pandemic, which has transformed the landscape of society and organizations. Various organizations are increasingly using Futures Thinking in planning and decision-making. This paper discusses the contributions of philosophy to Futures Thinking, particularly in relation to Strategic Foresight using the Scenario Development approach. It also offers suggestions for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Futures Thinking and explores how Futures Thinking can support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The study employs applied philosophy, utilizing critical and analytical thinking. The findings show that philosophy can add significant value to the Futures Thinking process by fostering divergent thinking, enriching the development of future scenarios, and helping to avoid or minimize cognitive biases and errors in reasoning.