APQ - APPON PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into knowledge production has fundamentally altered the epistemic landscape, raising critical questions about the nature of knowledge and the role of the human knower. This paper examines the phenomenon of algorithmic epistemic dependence through the lens of virtue epistemology, arguing that increasing reliance on AI systems for idea generation, literature review and knowledge validation, risks undermining the intellectual virtues necessary for responsible inquiry. Drawing on contemporary discussions in AI ethics and epistemology, the study explores the limitations of AI as a non-epistemic agent lacking intentionality, understanding, and moral responsibility. It interrogates the emerging problem of epistemic circularity, wherein AI systems are used both to produce and to evaluate knowledge, thereby challenging traditional notions of epistemic authority and integrity. The paper argues that while AI offers significant benefits in efficiency and accessibility, its uncritical use has led to a decline in epistemic agency and intellectual responsibility. In response, it proposes a reconfiguration of AI’s role as a supportive tool rather than a substitute for human cognition, alongside the cultivation of AI-mediated epistemic virtues such as critical vigilance and reflective awareness. By situating these issues within broader philosophical and cultural contexts, the study contributes to ongoing debates on the ethical and epistemological implications of AI in contemporary knowledge practices.

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