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Gidday Friends! This week I presented at the 44th Annual International Critical Thinking Conference held by The Foundation for Critical Thinking, California. It was founded by Educational psychologist and CT pioneer, Dr Linda Elder. NOTE* Underlined titles and words are links. Click for more. Thus, this week it made sense for me to share with you what academics and people working in the space think may be a threat to the important thinking skills we require to live healthy psychological and social lives. Unsurprisingly, a hot topic was Critical Thinking (CT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Not only is it a concern, but it may be the biggest threat to CT in the modern day. I am going to share with you some important points to think about to trigger your awareness as we enter this monolithic time that is the AI revolution. Short-form content on platforms like Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok while thoroughly entertaining, is seriously problematic for the development of the intelligent side of our minds. These platforms inject big complicated ideas into our brains at lightning speed, leaving little time to process and reflect. Before you can grasp the nuances of one small idea, the next one is already there. This is not good! This instant gratification model is not the type of problem to delay thinking about. It preys on the emotional mind, exploiting our natural impulses and easily triggered reactions. The framework is perfectly designed to feed into our instant desires. We scroll mindlessly craving quick fixes and immediate rewards. The human can be so easily manipulated. This bypasses our ability to think critically or act with long-term purpose, fundamental for good decision making. This is the type of life-skill we must actively practice improving not numbly lose grasp of. It all connects, one piece with the next. The more time you spend allowing your mind to engage with this type of short-form content without reflection and thoughtfulness, the more the mind prefers mental activities that reproduce the same numbing feeling. Basically, it will get worse with time. Critical thinking or intelligent thinking, requires TIME to process the layers hidden beneath new ideas. The reward is not instant, in fact, there is a lot of patience, self-control, and silence required for the best type of thinking. Any idea you hear or see posed in a new way for the first time is worth some thought. Even if you deem the information foolish or unintelligent, time spent analysing why you choose to categorise it in this way serves some cognitive purpose. Critical thinking means thinking about WHO is behind the content; the potential intention and impact of the video/idea (personally and socially); what words have been said; how the ideas inside relate to other bigger global ideas, and more. The time required to make these connections and think about the impact of just one small idea on the way you think MATTERS. Despite the ethical concerns surrounding AI development, its high profit margins ensure that its advancement will continue ceaselessly. Just as we were beginning to draw attention to the negative impact of short-form content, we now face the challenge of AI. Already, but even more so soon, it will become impossible to distinguish what’s real from what’s fake. The mind game has only begun, and it’s no joke—we may be in serious trouble. With AI-driven tools providing instant answers and content tailored to individual preferences, there is a growing risk of cognitive complacency, where users may rely on automated responses rather than engaging in deeper analysis. When CT is not prioritised, the brain can become accustomed to superficial engagement with information. The constant exposure to biased or misleading content can foster echo chambers, reinforcing pre-existing beliefs without critical examination. As a result, the essential skills of CT—such as assessing credibility, evaluating/problem solving complex issues, recognising bias, and engaging in reflective judgement—will slowly become underdeveloped, leaving individuals vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation in an increasingly digital world. While of the central issues relating to AI is that your thoughts can be manipulated more easily than ever before this is less likely for those who are aware of the problems associated with AI algorithms and their potential impact on the mind. AI technology presents a range of ethical issues, including: Privacy Concerns: We are witnessing the mass collection and use of personal data by AI systems, which infringes on individual privacy rights. This is happening at such speed that, as most of us have little understanding of the impact, we conveniently select "yes" to data collection disclaimers despite instinctively feeling that it may not be right.
Bias and Fairness: AI algorithms perpetuate existing biases (based on emotion), which is their most effective and profitable tool for engagement. The platforms are set up to collect and record the types of information you engage with, thereby learning your thought patterns. This not only reduces your CT skills and further impacts the quality of decisions you are capable of making in other, more important areas of your life, but it also leads to unfair treatment of certain groups.
While AI raises serious concerns, remember all things also have advantages if we think a little deeper. AI has offered significant benefits across society. Socially, AI has been a game changer for inclusion and accessibility. AI-driven speech recognition and language translation tools break down communication barriers, connecting people globally. AI is also making public spaces more accessible for individuals with disabilities through innovations like AI-powered technology. The time is here NOW to begin conversations in our homes, with families, communities, and especially with our children about how to navigate the complex ethical, psychological, and social effects of AI on society and the individual. As a CT educator I am here to assure you there can be a difference between you and those who do not pay attention to the potential issues. Some ways we can mitigate the impact include: Integrating AI Literacy into the Home and Curricula: Courses and conversations that focus on AI's capabilities and limitations can empower people to think critically about the technology they use. Advocate for this to occur inside your community groups, such as school and the home. If it is not happening yet it should be.
Promoting Collaborative Learning through Group Discussions: Attempting to participate in or trigger group discussions and debates on AI ethics. This stimulates CT and exposes people to diverse perspectives, fostering diversity of thought, intellectual engagement, and reflection reducing anxiety and worry and replacing it with ideas, decisions, and actions.
AI is here to stay, and it’s just getting started. Innovation and new technology are integral to our human existence so we cannot simply resist and reject, instead we need to be aware and respond. Its rapid adoption and economic and social impact make understanding and using it responsibly crucial. Commit to thinking deeply about ideas, and you will be able to assess the validity and relevance of information no matter what it is. Embrace this revolution with a conscious mind. CT Activities for this week: Explore the Foundation for CT linked here. They have activities, tests, articles, and more to learn about CT and modern-day challenges. Read at least one or two references I have listed below to trigger more thought about modern-day issues relating to AI and CT. Talk outwardly about what you think after reading ideas embedded in this letter against what you believe is happening in reality as well as against your own thoughts. This is a process called triangulation of thought. This is how you improve CT skills. Compare, contrast, reflect, and articulate. Go out broad, come in close, go out broader, come in closer, and so on and so on. It is a dance of thought.
References/reading to trigger thoughts about AI and CT. Binns, R. (2018). "Fairness in Machine Learning: Lessons from Political Philosophy." In Proceedings of the 2018 Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (pp. 149-159). This paper discusses the ethical implications of AI and how biases in algorithms can affect critical thinking and decision-making processes. Chiu, T. K. F., & Zawacki-Richter, O. (2023). "AI in education: A systematic review of the literature." International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. Ghosh, U. (2023). Use artificial intelligence to get your students thinking critically. Times Higher Education. Hapsari, D., & Wu, H. (2022). "Exploring the role of AI in enhancing critical thinking among EFL students." World Journal of English Language. Müller, V. C. (2020). Why AI Ethics Is a Critical Theory. Philosophy & Technology. Muthmainnah, N., & van den Berg, J. (2022). Fostering critical thinking with AI. Educational Technology Journal. Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). "Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence in higher education: Current trends and future directions." Educational Technology Research and Development.
Stay tuned for the Sunday Synapse, which will be delivered to your inbox every Sunday! Get ready to take on a new week better than you were last week If it does not bring value to you, just hit the unsubscribe button below. Send me an email with feedback—what you like, don’t like, want more of, or just to say hi! Until next Sunday, take care. Dr. Esha
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