More Tech, more stupidity?

[pincushion]

Techs That Make Us Stupid : Discovery News

Here in the UK and perhaps elsewhere there has been a trend to indicate that children are actually getting brighter, with increases seen in IQ scores and rather more controversially in exam results over time, so I am not sure where this article fits. Is it so obvious that the more we rely on technology then the less we use our brains?

As someone who grew up without any of these items - even using a slide-rule at college (engineering) - I am not sure if using the latest Tech does have any serious consequences. However, I find I still have my Aristo Trilog slide-rule and apart from simple addition and subtraction it seems to have coped with all my calculation needs. As the Wiki entry remarks, their use did at least force one to have a reasonable expectation of the magnitude expected of any calculation by reducing the calculations to most significant figures and their use did have numerous other advantages. Ah, the good old days (after bl%dy log tables!) ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule

:huh: :huh:

 

[indianacarnie]

I don't know...... not real sure on that issue. You know, "technically" a slide rule IS a computer also. I think any lose in certain areas will be compensated for in others. While we may "forget" how to do certain things, if those "things" are important enough we'll get them done in other ways. For every machine that could make people "dumber", there has to be people to MAKE those machines and program them. Design them, maintain them etc. Our areas of expertise may shift, but I have faith in humans ability to adapt.