THINKING IN TIMES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A HUMANIST CONCERN

Abstract

We live in a paradoxical era: humanity has unprecedented access to information and advanced technology, yet critical thinking and deep reflection are declining. Reading, studying, and dialogue are diminishing, while passive content consumption grows. Artificial intelligence and the so-called “technological singularity” present an ambiguous promise: they can expand human awareness or numb it. The real risk lies not in technology itself but in our attitude toward it. Endless scrolling erodes focus and the ability to develop original thought. As Asimov warned, the danger is not that computers think like humans, but that humans think like computers. This challenge is compounded by the difficulty of self-criticism: true critical thinking requires questioning our own ideas. A new inequality emerges—cognitive inequality—dividing those who can reflect from those who merely endure. Being a humanist today means actively democratizing access to critical thinking and creating practices that restore the ability to think independently. AI can be a powerful ally if it enhances awareness rather than replacing it. The real challenge is not matching AI but living up to what makes us human: the depth of our consciousness, our capacity for self-criticism, and our determination to preserve thought.