Comment on Microsoft Study Finds Relying on AI Kills Your Critical Thinking Skills

• artificialfish@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  When was the last time you did math without a calculator?

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  • ch00f@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

    Calculators also don’t think critically.

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    • artificialfish@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

      Damn. I wonder where all the calculus identities and mathematical puzzle solving abilities in my head disappeared to then. Surely not into the void that is Wolfram Mathematica. Surely not…

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• UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Memorization is not the same thing as critical thinking.

  A library of internalized axioms is necessary for efficient critical thinking. You can’t just turn yourself into a Chinese Room of analysis.

  A well designed test will freely give you an equation sheet or even allow a cheat sheet.

  Certain questions are phrased to force the reader to pluck out and categorize bits of information, to implement complex iterations of simple formulae, and to perform long-form calculations accurately without regard to the formulae themselves.

  But for elementary skills, you’re often challenging the individual to retain basic facts and figures. Internalizing your multiplication tables can serve as a heuristic that’s quicker than doing simple sums in your head. Knowing the basic physics formulae - your F = ma, ρ=m/V, f= V/λ etc - can give you a broader understanding of the physical world.

  If all you know how to do is search for answers to basic questions, you’re slowing down your ability to process new information and recognize patterns or predictive signals in a timely manner.

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  • ch00f@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

    I agree with all of this. My comment is meant to refute the implication that not needing to memorize phone numbers is somehow analogous to critical thinking. And yes, internalized axioms are necessary, but largely the core element is memorizing how these axioms are used, not necessarily their rote text.

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• kitnaht@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  You’re right it’s not the same thing as critical thinking, but it is a skill we’ve lost. How many skills have we lost throughout history due to machines and manufacturing?

  This is the same tale over and over again - these people weren’t using critical thinking to begin with if they were trusting a prediction engine with their tasks.

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  • homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

    I think “deliberately suppressed” is different than lost.

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