Johannesburg - The human race is getting dumber. The advancement of technology (smartphones that memorise more than just phone numbers for us and search engines that give us all the answers) is eroding the need for humans to think for themselves.
“Devices are becoming our intelligence,” said Alban Burke, an associate professor at the University of Johannesburg’s department of psychology.
He was speaking during an interview with The Star.
Burke said intelligence, simply defined, is the ability to adapt in any environment.
Now picture this: you’re driving in the middle of nowhere using your GPS.
Anyway, if your GPS fails you, you know the Google Maps app on your phone will come to the rescue; until you lose the signal because of the diminishing network coverage.
You don’t have a map book. Even if you miraculously find one discarded in the back of your car somewhere, would you be able to read it and use it to get to where you need to go?
Burke said: “We rely too much on technology even though technology is not reliable.”
He said even though technology makes life easier, it should not diminish our ability to count, spell and think critically. - The Star