Publish at April 16 2025 Updated April 16 2025
The critical mind, a central tenet of Western thought since antiquity, has always been constructed as a resistance to the obvious and to authority, a means of questioning the nature of things and transforming the world. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), however, this faculty is being put to the test by technologies that automate an increasing proportion of human cognition.
AI seems to have the capacity to increase the efficiency of human thought in its capacity to calculate and compile, while raising essential questions: do humans remain masters of their own judgment in the face of machines that generate solutions from objective data?
Three philosophers Dewey, Heidegger and Emerson, beyond their apparent philosophical differences, develop a common reflection on the way the individual interacts with the world, the dangers of social and technical structures that can oppress human autonomy, and the centrality of experience and action in the construction of the self. All three consider that critical thinking, far from being a simple tool for rationalization, must be experienced as a creative, dynamic and embodied act.
While Dewey sees critical thinking as a means of transforming society, Heidegger and Emerson insist on the need for the individual to maintain an authentic relationship with himself and with the world, refusing to be overwhelmed by external forces, whether technological, social or rational. These three authors help us to understand AI, which they have not experienced, in the light of human experience.
By automating certain human cognitive functions, AI raises a crucial question: does this automation threaten the autonomy of our judgment, or does it open up new possibilities for the reinvention of human thought? In this respect, several thinkers have influenced our understanding of the relationship between human thought and technology.
John Dewey, in his pragmatic philosophy, defines critical thinking not as an isolated act, but as a relational and experiential process between the individual and his environment (Dewey, 1916).
For Dewey, thinking is a tool for solving problems and coping with complex situations, not an end in itself. He asserts that critical thinking must be nourished by lived experience and concrete interactions with the world.
AI, in this perspective, could be seen as a catalyst for critical thinking processes, provided that individuals retain their ability to actively interact with the world. Dewey would argue that automation, if used consciously, could enrich human thought by freeing up space for deeper, more creative reflection. However, Dewey would also highlight the risk of AI being perceived as a substitute for human thought. If individuals begin to rely solely on automated responses, they risk losing the ability to actively interrogate and redefine their environment.
In this context, critical thinking education becomes essential to enable individuals to reclaim the power to think and judge for themselves.
In The Question of Technique (Heidegger, 1954), Heidegger reflects on how modern technologies reconfigure our relationship to being. According to Heidegger, modern technology - and today's AI in particular - is not content to be a mere tool in the service of man, it transforms man's relationship to the world.
By deploying its increasingly complex algorithms, AI pushes the individual to conform to a predefined model of thought. The automation of decisions, the standardization of responses and the rationalization of human behavior are leading to what Heidegger calls a "forgetting of being": a distancing of humans from their authentic relationship to the world, a relationship that is founded on lived experience and existential reflection.
In this context, Heidegger would warn against the erasure of subjectivity and human embodiment in the thought process. AI, by its algorithmic and decontextualized nature, is incapable of accounting for lived experience and existentialist human understanding. It reduces the world to a set of data to be processed, depriving the individual of his or her ability to perceive the ethical, social and political nuances that shape his or her reality.
At first glance, AI seems to be both a factor in reducing critical thinking and, at the same time, a means of increasing immediate surface creativity, producing flattering effects that seduce us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in Self-Reliance (Emerson, 1841), argues for independence of thought and action. He emphasizes the need to free oneself from external influences, whether social or intellectual, in order to develop genuine creativity.
For Emerson, the individual must above all cultivate his own inner voice and refuse to conform to society's expectations. AI, while it may offer new perspectives, remains fundamentally incapable of generating truly autonomous ideas. It relies on existing data models, producing predictable, homogeneous and often bland results. AI could therefore be a catalyst for human creativity, but only if used critically.
By providing a framework that limits the field of possibilities, AI stifles true creativity. From this perspective, the use of AI should be seen as a tool for broadening creative horizons, while preserving the ability to innovate radically, without being locked into pre-established solutions. Emerson would probably have seen AI as a form of "voluntary servitude" if it were to replace human thought rather than stimulate it.
While AI can be a source of creativity, in its version of recreating possibilities from snippets captured from the past, it also runs the risk of standardizing responses and limiting the diversity of ideas. Dewey (1916) stressed that critical thinking relies on the ability to experiment and break out of established frameworks to produce new ideas.
In the face of these challenges, soft skills - emotional, interpersonal and change management skills - become essential to the preservation of a living form of critical thinking. These eminently human attributes enable us not only to navigate in a digital world, but also to maintain a critical relationship with machines while preserving human autonomy.
Education can no longer be limited to the transmission of knowledge, but must refocus on the development of reflexivity and intellectual autonomy. Dewey (1916) emphasizes the need for an experiential pedagogy, where learning is in constant interaction with the world. Relational skills must include not only the ability to work in a team and to communicate, but also the ability to discern the biases of technologies and to develop ethical and critical judgment.
Emotional intelligence and relationship management skills, while essential in the world of work, become even more crucial in a context where machines dominate cognitive spaces. Emerson (1841) reminds us that true autonomy comes through self-assertion and the ability to think for oneself, independently of imposed models.
To preserve critical thinking in a technological world, we need to develop a form of resilience in the face of machines. This resilience is a critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of technology.
Heidegger (1954) stresses the need not to allow ourselves to be dominated by technology, but to remain aware of its role in shaping social and cultural structures. Education must provide individuals with the tools to question and redefine the technological systems that influence their lives.
Illustration: Olena from Pixabay
Sources
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education.
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/852
Emerson, R. W. (1841). Self-Reliance. James Munroe & Company.
https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/triumphnationalism/cman/text8/selfreliance.pdf
Heidegger, M. (1954). The question of technique.
https://monoskop.org/images/3/31/Heidegger_Martin_1958_La_question_de_la_technique.pdf
You might also like:
Co-teaching or the art of sharing responsibilities
The world of education is trying to transform itself with the tools available, but teaching remains similar. What if classes had two teachers? Co-teaching exists under certain conditions but it remains a marginal model. Yet it can work when the two professionals collaborate effectively.
Methodology from failure to success
This first quarter of the 21st century is seeing the emergence of a new way of acquiring knowledge through doing, beyond doing through failure, which can lead to personal accomplishment and therefore to success and surpassing oneself.
Ecological uses of banana leaves
Banana leaves, which have long been used for gastronomic and clothing purposes, need to come back into the spotlight in view of the ecological issues at stake. In fact, given their importance, we need to raise awareness of their importance and reforest banana trees.
What is taught in Political Science
Do politicians take political science courses? To answer this question, let's take a look at their qualifications and also at what is taught in political science...
Balancing family and career: how do you go about it?
Finding the right work-life balance is all about prioritizing tasks, the quality of the people around you and, above all, the ability to take time out for self-care.
