Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Creative Thinking: Opportunities, Risks, and the Human Mind in Educational Practice through the Lens of Plato's Meno

Aristea Gravou

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Creative Thinking, Plato, Meno, Philosophy of Education, Pedagogy, Anamnesis.

Domains: Language and Learning

TL;DR: Investigating how AI reshapes creative learning based on Plato's Meno, advocating for AI as a pedagogical collaborator that enhances human consciousness.

Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Creative Thinking (CT) form a paradox that is rapidly reshaping the landscape of education, creativity, and human cognition. While concept generation, visualization, pattern analysis, and information acceleration promise exciting opportunities for both students and educators, they simultaneously raise profound questions regarding the nature of creative thought, learning processes, and the future of human agency in knowledge creation. What is the positive contribution of AI, and what are its risks? Is there a danger of AI being used as a replacement for creative thinking? According to Plato’s Meno, human knowledge is not merely the passive reception of external information, but the recollection (anamnesis) of innate truth, triggered through guided questioning and aporia.The experiment with the uneducated slave demonstrates that, even without prior knowledge of geometry, the soul can be led to true conclusions when placed in a dynamic relationship with correct questions, doubt, and reflection—elements that activate the rational and unified part of the soul. AI's capacity to accelerate information production must be examined in relation to human consciousness, reflective correction, and semantic understanding. Furthermore, AI operates through statistical inference, pattern recognition, and average behavioral models. Education heavily reliant on AI risks cultivating passive consumers of information rather than active thinkers. Could students become disconnected from the joy of discovery, the expression of curiosity, and the pursuit of truth-knowledge, potentially weakening cognitive resilience, neural diversity, and the cultivation of their unique creative identity?The core challenge is how creative thinking can maintain its connection to the One, the Good, the unity of the soul, and consequently, the recollection of truth, virtue, and good intention, in order to attain and utilize knowledge in the most ideal way. Excessive reliance on AI may lead to the questioning of knowledge itself, leaving students without evaluation criteria, resulting in the acceptance or even defense of false or incomplete "truths" devoid of conscious choice and moral discernment. This pedagogical approach positions Artificial Intelligence as a supportive partner—not a substitute—in creative learning, highlighting human creativity and reflective learning while presenting pathways for collaboration, problem-solving, and mutual support.

*This work is a work-in-progress. A preliminary version was presented at the 11th International Conference "Education and Culture in the 21st Century" in April 2026. The finalized full paper is scheduled for submission to that venue by June 15, 2026.

Submission Number: 200