Vygotsky meets artificial intelligence

A cultural-historical perspective on the epistemological foundations of AI / Vygotski se encuentra con la inteligencia artificial: una perspectiva histórico-cultural sobre los fundamentos epistemológicos de la IA

Bibliographic Data

ID12486382
AuthorsManolis Dafermos (0000-0002-7321-8145, University of Crete, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume38
Issue1
Pages26-54
Publication date2026-02-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCulture and Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1135-6405 • E-ISSN: 1578-4118
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1177/11356405251414935
OpenAlexW7127911495
LanguageEN
References cited37

This paper revisits Vygotsky’s cultural-historical theory to address key epistemological challenges in artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on the question of AI’s subject matter and research methodology. It critically engages with the long-standing debate between symbolic and connectionist approaches, examining AI’s epistemological underpinnings through the lens of Vygotsky’s insights. Until recently, the cultural-historical nature of human cognitive processes and the socio-historical embeddedness of AI technologies have remained largely unexplored areas in AI research, representing a terra incognita for the field. By addressing these neglected dimensions, this paper argues that Vygotsky’s theory provides valuable resources for rethinking AI’s epistemological and methodological foundations

Cognition · Connectionism · Embeddedness · Focus (optics · Key (lock · Perspective (graphical · Subject (documents · Alexander von Humboldt Studies · Embodied and Extended Cognition · Innovative Education and Learning Practices

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