Magical Thinking, Imaginary Entities, and Artificial Intelligence: Externalization of Agency Under Prolonged Uncertainty
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article explores how humans engage in magical thinking and create imaginary entities as adaptive coping strategies under prolonged uncertainty. Drawing on recent research on anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and psychological distress (Adamis et al., 2024; Godara et al., 2023; Becerra et al., 2023), it argues that such behaviors are not relics of pre-scientific cultures but universal cognitive mechanisms. The study further examines how interactions with artificial intelligence can trigger similar processes of externalizing agency, forming quasi-personalized digital helpers. By linking phenomenology, psychology, and AI ethics, the article highlights both adaptive functions and ethical considerations of these emerging forms of human-technology interaction.
Author: Rybnikova, Emma
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7128405689
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