Pseudo-Intellectualism and Artificial Intelligence: A Phenomenological Study of Student Intellectuality in the Digital Age

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has triggered an epistemological crisis that threatens the intellectual character of students. This qualitative study aims to explore the dynamics of student digital literacy in the AI era through a phenomenological approach. The results reveal four crucial phenomena: erosion of articulation independence, dependence on probabilistic algorithms, decreased mental endurance in research, and the emergence of an illusion of competence. The findings show that easy access to AI often replaces the process of cognitive struggle with "pseudo-intellectualism," where academic outcomes no longer reflect depth of internal understanding. The discussion emphasizes the importance of repositioning the role of AI through a "Digital Reflective Pedagogy" model that prioritizes dialectical processes and intellectual honesty. As a solution, educational institutions are advised to shift from product-based assessment to process-based assessment to maintain human agency. This study concludes that strengthening intellectual character is the main defense against cognitive automation to ensure that technology remains a tool for expanding intelligence, not a substitute for human consciousness