CONSIDER: S.P.E.C.I.E.S. – PART IV. . .

Thus far, gentler reader, we have briefly explored the first four dimensions that help define ourselves as a Species – the human Species. We will continue our exploration today and I will begin with the fifth dimension, the ‘Intellectual’ dimension.

Intellectual – As we evolved so did our brain and so did our intellectual ability and capacity. I believe it was Einstein who noted that at our best we might only use 5% to 10% of our intellectual capacity. As computers have become more sophisticated we have used our intellects to explore the possibility of creating AI (Artificial Intelligence). As we well know, computers – i.e. technology in a variety of forms – are able to compute in ways that we cannot. And herein lies the trap. The more we rely upon technology to ‘think’ for us the more intellectual capacity we will lose (young folks today are already demonstrating their lack of capacity to ‘read’ the non-verbal language of their peers because of the amount of time they spend ‘relating’ via technology).

Computers can help us make decisions. . .YET. . .it seems to me that we should never allow computers to make important decisions for us because computers will always lack human qualities such as intuition, compassion and wisdom. There is the crucial distinction between deciding and choosing (and it requires some sophisticated intellectual development to do both). Deciding is a computational activity, something that can ultimately be programmed. Choice, however, is the product of judgment, not calculation. It is the capacity to choose that ultimately makes us the human Species. Comprehensive human judgment is able to include non-mathematical factors, such as emotions. Judgment allows us to compare apples and oranges in metaphorical ways; in ways that no computer can do.

Given this, our challenge is to continue to find ways to help our Species develop our intellectual abilities and capacities. We must focus beyond our computational ability (math, science, technology) and embrace the development of our intuitive, caring, empathic, compassionate, and creative abilities and capacities. Computers can help us do the former, but it requires significant time with other members of our Species in order to develop the latter. I did learn of an elementary school that is now limiting computer time to one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon with the remainder of the day involving a combination of small group work, read-reflecting-writing, and individual work. The teachers are already reporting that the younger students are far better at ‘reading’ the nonverbal signals of their peers than the older students are (who have been spent the past two years working primarily with their laptops).

As one wise person noted. We used to strive to make computers more human. Now it seems that we are striving to make humans more like computers. We are dehumanizing ourselves as we do so. This is one of those statements that give me pause. . .