Conference Program

In contemporary society, characterised by the accelerated and pervasive advancement of artificial intelligence, democratic education confronts a multitude of challenges. Primarily, it is imperative to avert the potential of computational logic to engender epistemic oppression. In this context, the pedagogical traditions of Ivan Illich and Paulo Freire can offer significant food for thought in finding solutions to these transformations.

The initial point of departure will be Illich's analysis of radical monopolies¹, which posits that the advent of new technologies has the potential to erode the autonomy of the learner, thereby fostering both genuine cognitive dependence and the homogenisation of knowledge. Indeed, the potential of AI to reduce the individual to a mere agent, one that automatically and mechanically follows instructions, is a matter of great concern. This would effectively prevent the individual from playing their own role as the architect of their cognitive activity, thereby stifling their ontological vocation to 'be more'. In the face of the looming spectre of technological determinism, the pedagogy of autonomy proposed by Paulo Freire is poised to emerge as a potential solution. This pedagogy emphasises the necessity of conceptualising education as a praxis of consciousness-raising² and dialogical responsibility.

Education, therefore, would help to foster a spirit of critical inquiry capable of transforming curiosity into a rigorous commitment to transforming reality, rather than a passive adaptation to it. Confronted with a predetermined algorithm, critical education encourages the learner to transcend rote learning and meticulously investigate the underlying rationales behind the information received, the conceptual frameworks employed by the designers of these machines, and the limitations of purely technical expertise. Finally, Illich's reflections on conviviality could offer a tool for rethinking the algorithm: from an instrument of domination and oppression, it becomes convivial, that is, open to user intervention and capable of stimulating doubt and debate through transparency and intellectual provocation. In this sense, the information provided by AI would cease to be considered as absolute truths, but rather as raw data on which the individual can exercise critical judgement by questioning their own biases and verifying sources. This process is instrumental in enabling the realisation of the autonomy of knowledge.

¹ The term 'radical monopoly' is employed to denote the phenomenon in which an industrial production process exerts exclusive control over the satisfaction of a pressing need, thereby precluding the possibility of resorting to non-industrial activities. . Illich, Tools for Conviviality, Marion Boyars, 2001.

² In this regard, Freire emphasises the need for critical thinking that enables us to uncover the causes of social barriers, transforming the notion of a 'predetermined fate' into one of possibility and agency. P. Freire, Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage, Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc, 1998.