Are We Losing Our Ability to Think Critically?
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news Society | DOI:10.1145/1538788.1538796 Samuel Greengard Are We Losing Our Ability to Think Critically? Computer technology has enhanced lives in countless ways, but some experts believe it might be affecting people’s ability to think deeply. OCIETY HAS LONG cherished technology alters the way we see, hear, the ability to think beyond and assimilate our world—the act of the ordinary. In a world thinking remains decidedly human. where knowledge is revered and innovation equals Rethinking Thinking Sprogress, those able to bring forth Arriving at a clear definition for criti- greater insight and understanding are cal thinking is a bit tricky. Wikipedia destined to make their mark and blaze describes it as “purposeful and reflec- a trail to greater enlightenment. tive judgment about what to believe or “Critical thinking as an attitude is what to do in response to observations, embedded in Western culture. There experience, verbal or written expres- is a belief that argument is the way to sions, or arguments.” Overlay technolo- finding truth,” observes Adrian West, gy and that’s where things get complex. research director at the Edward de For better or worse, exposure to technology “We can do the same critical-reasoning Bono Foundation U.K., and a former fundamentally changes how people think. operations without technology as we computer science lecturer at the Uni- can with it—just at different speeds and versity of Manchester. “Developing our formation can easily overwhelm our with different ease,” West says. abilities to think more clearly, richly, reasoning abilities.” What’s more, What’s more, while it’s tempting fully—individually and collectively— it’s ironic that ever-growing piles of to view computers, video games, and is absolutely crucial [to solving world data and information do not equate the Internet in a monolithic good or problems].” to greater knowledge and better de- bad way, the reality is that they may To be sure, history is filled with tales cision-making. What’s remarkable, be both good and bad, and different of remarkable thinkers who have de- West says, is just “how little this has technologies, systems, and uses yield fined and redefined our world views: affected the quality of our thinking.” entirely different results. For example, Sir Isaac Newton discovering gravity; According to the National Endow- a computer game may promote criti- Voltaire altering perceptions about so- ment for the Arts, literary reading de- cal thinking or diminish it. Reading ciety and religious dogma; and Albert clined 10 percentage points from 1982 on the Internet may ratchet up one’s Einstein redefining the view of the to 2002 and the rate of decline is ac- ability to analyze while chasing an end- universe. But in an age of computers, celerating. Many, including Patricia less array of hyperlinks may undercut video games, and the Internet, there’s Greenfield, a UCLA distinguished pro- deeper thought. a growing question about how technol- fessor of psychology and director of the Michael Bugeja, director of the ogy is changing critical thinking and Children’s Digital Media Center, Los Greenlee School of Journalism and whether society benefits from it. Angeles, believe that a greater focus on Communication at Iowa State Univer- Although there’s little debate that visual media exacts a toll. “A drop-off sity of Science and Technology, says: computer technology complements— in reading has possibly contributed to “Critical thinking can be accelerated and often enhances—the human mind a decline in critical thinking,” she says. multifold by the right technology.” in the quest to store information and “There is a greater emphasis on real- On the other hand, “The technology process an ever-growing tangle of bits time media and multitasking rather distraction level is accelerating to the and bytes, there’s increasing concern than focusing on a single thing.” point where thinking deeply is dif- that the same technology is changing Nevertheless, the verdict isn’t in and ficult. We are overwhelmed by a con- the way we approach complex prob- a definitive answer about how technol- stant barrage of devices and tasks.” lems and conundrums, and making it ogy affects critical thinking is not yet Worse: “We increasingly suffer from more difficult to really think. available. Instead, critical thinking the Google syndrome. People accept OOD “We’re exposed to [greater amounts lands in a mushy swamp somewhere be- what they read and believe what they G dam of] poor yet charismatic thinking, the tween perception and reality; measur- see online is fact when it is not.” A by fads of intellectual fashion, opinion, able and incomprehensible. It’s largely One person who has studied the H and mere assertion,” says West. “The a product of our own invention—and effects of technology on people is otograp wealth of communications and in- a subjective one at that. And although UCLA’s Greenfield. Exposure to tech- PH 18 COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM | JULY 2009 | VOL. 52 | NO. 7 news nology fundamentally changes the ogy extend beyond the flat earth of rote way people think, says Greenfield, memorization and teach decision-mak- who recently analyzed more than 50 “Most visual media ing and analytical skills in immersive, studies on learning and technology, are real-time media virtual environments that resemble the including research on multitasking real world, Gee says. Moreover, these and the use of computers, the Inter- that do not allow games—and some virtual worlds—give net, and video games. As reading for time for reflection, participants freedom to explore ideas pleasure has declined and visual me- and concepts that might otherwise be dia have exploded, noticeable chang- analysis, or inaccessible or off limits. es have resulted, she notes. imagination,” says Kurt Squire, a University of Wis- “Reading enhances thinking and consin-Madison associate professor engages the imagination in a way that Patricia Greenfield. in educational communications and visual media such as video games and technology, has found that as children television do not,” Greenfield explains. play an educational game and learn “It develops imagination, induction, about a particular period in history or reflection, and critical thinking, as an interesting concept, they often want well as vocabulary.” However, she has to learn more. For example, one young found that visual media actually im- Tools for Learning student Squire studied sent him a list prove some types of information pro- How society views technology has a of 27 books on ancient history the boy cessing. Unfortunately, “most visual great deal to do with how it forms per- had checked out of a library as a result media are real-time media that do not ceptions about critical thinking. And of playing the game Civilization. What allow time for reflection, analysis, or nowhere is the conflict more apparent makes the games so compelling, he imagination,” she says. The upshot? than at the intersection of video games relates, is they create a psychological Many people—particularly those who and cognition. James Paul Gee, a pro- investment by “structuring problems are younger—wind up not realizing fessor of educational psychology at the so that they are just beyond students’ their full intellectual potential. University of Wisconsin-Madison and current abilities.” Greenfield believes we’re watching author of What Video Games Have to One thing is certain. In the digital an adaptation process unfold. Today, Teach Us About Learning and Literacy, age, critical thinking is a topic that’s many individuals perform better at points out that things aren’t always as garnering greater attention. As reading common tasks but this doesn’t make they appear. “There is a strong under- and math scores decline on standard- them better at thinking. The ability to current of opinion that video and com- ized tests, many observers argue that multitask and use technology is highly puter games aren’t healthy for kids,” it’s time to take a closer look at tech- beneficial in certain fields, including he says. “The reality is that they are not nology and understand the subtleties medicine, business, and flying air- only a major form of entertainment, of how it affects thinking and analysis. craft. Consider: video game skills are they often provide a very good tool for “Without critical thinking, we create a better predictor of surgeons’ success learning.” trivia,” Bugeja concludes. “We disman- in performing laparoscopic surgery In fact, a growing number of re- tle scientific models and replace them than actual laparoscopic surgery expe- searchers—and an expanding body of with trendy or wishful ones that are rience. One study found that the best evidence—indicate that joysticks can neither transferable nor testable.” video game players made 47% fewer er- go a long way toward building smarter rors and performed 39% faster in lap- children with better reasoning skills. Samuel Greengard is an author and freelance writer based in West Linn, OR. aroscopic tasks than the worst video Games such as Sim City, Civilization, game players. Railroad Tycoon, and Age of Mythol- © 2009 ACM 0001-0782/09/0700 $10.00 Milestones Computer Science Awards The Royal Society and the University of Southampton and original research. Among the new University, won the Prize for National Academy of Sciences ACM president, were among the appointees are three computer Innovation in Distributed were among the organizations 44 scientists elected as Fellows scientists: Sir Timothy Berners- Computing from the Colloquium that recently honored a select of The Royal Society. Lee, Massachusetts Institute of on Structural Information and group of computer scientists. Technology; John E. Hopcroft, Communication Complexity NAS MEMBERS Cornell University; and Christos for his overall contribution THE ROYAL SOCIETY FEllOWS The National Academy of Papadimitriou, University of on the analysis of the labeled Peter Buneman, a professor Sciences elected 72 new California, Berkeley.