Brain damage

A few days back the BBC carried a story about research into our intelligence and the way our brains are affected by how think and gather knowledge.

In London, Black Cab (Black refers to the type of cab) drivers are required to memorise all the possible destinations in London and the quickest route. It's called 'The Knowledge'. It's been shown that the part of the brain which deals with memorising this actually enlarges over time.

On the other side of the coin, frequent internet users who tend to 'Google' for solutions are apparently losing the ability to think problems through for themselves.

I've noticed that on technical forums and on SRP from time to time, more and more people seem to ask for answers without taking the time to work it out.

In my daily life I've started to see more and more people who seem unable to function without instruction to complete relatively simple tasks. I ask myself if this is the new 'Internet Generation'.

I don't think memorization inherently improves problem-solving skills, but just to be sure I guess I better google it

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't think memorization inherently improves problem-solving skills, but just to be sure I guess I better google it

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Don't bother with that ..... just ask ...... someone will save you the trouble. :D

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Don't bother with that ..... just ask ...... someone will save you the trouble. :D

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I already checked the wiki and didn't see anything :aargh:

So the equivalent on this forum would be to Jimmy it!

I have to say, having worked in schools a fair bit during my student teaching and subbing - kids do seem to have significantly worse reasoning skills than I remember when I was in school. (or maybe it just seems that way, because all their questions are directed at me) The ability to reason through problems, the ability to write clear arguments, the ability to figure out lab procedures - all surprisingly low.

I think it's cause kids are often spoon fed at home and in school. The sense of entitlement is shocking.

30 years ago a very bright man by the name of Neil Postman wrote several books on this subject. Rather than remembered as a prophet, he has been pigeon-holed as a troglodyte. You might find his books Amusing Ourselves to Death and Technopoly interesting.

If I think back to my grandparents I can say that they felt the same way about the younger generation but for traits more specific to their times.

I have also noticed the trend as yo describe and probably further. Sometimes when dealing with store clerks I just have to walk away from them. I see lots of it here also. I remember not too long ago a member was asking about where to find something so I pointed them in a direction. His next post was more questions about the direction I pointed him to which required some searching. He wanted me to do the search for him! :banghead: I may be getting old but that wasn't gonna happen and he got a polite ear full from me. :soapbox: Of course there was a logical behind his seemingly dumb question but the logic only worked for him. :beer2:

I certainly have grown up in a generation of people who 'just google it' how ever, I reckon this has improved my knowledge rather that hindered it. I don't know about problem solving, certainly if I'm not sure about something that's a bit delicate I will ask for help.

On the flip side to the initial point, maybe there are more people who are willing to have a go at basic problem solving (or preventative measures like servicing) because there is such a wealth of knowledge out there and they can feel confident in what they are about to undertake, where as in the past they would have had to have taken it to a professional because they had no idea where to start.

As a newbie to these forums some of the comments here feel as if they are directed at newbies in these forums. I try to search the answers out for my self on the internet before I ever ask questions here, unless I am looking for opinions. This Forum board is huge, and the search capabilites seem to be very rudimentary; at least I haven't had very good results when searching for something specific. I'm sorry if I have asked any questions that the answer could be found in the Wiki's or Stickies. But sometimes I don't have hours to dedicate to reading every article on these forums to find the answer I am looking for.
I appreciate every response anyone takes the time to give to me, and I try to participate in a positive way and contribute what I can.

There will always be things that change how we learn and think. I am sure computers caused similar lamentation and gnashing of intellects back in the day. As did TV and radio. The steam engine. The printing press. Books.

Give the interwebs time and I am sure we will move from the currently superficial to a more substantial usage and understanding. I mean really, books have had what? 1000 years or so? Longer? Come talk to me when we have lived with and used the internet for a similar time frame and tell me what it has done to people then.

James.

I believe the problem is, in part, a generational issue and the continuing technological evolution of society. Today's generation is wedded to the internet, just as my generation was wedded to television and the generation before that was wedded to radio and talking pictures.

Each of these technologies has improved our lives by providing access to knowledge that was previously unimaginable. But this has come at a cost. People who become dependent on visual or internet technologies to learn about the world may lose their ability to imagine the world contained in a book, magazine or newspaper. A person who becomes dependent on goggle to find the answers to their questions my become deficient in other information gathering skills.

My own experience in the classroom is that today's generation, while profiecient in some areas of what we would regard as being internet savvy are woefully inadequate when it comes to using the www to seek out real knowledge about the world that we live in. A colleague of mine in the law school at the university where I teach had to prohibit law students from using goggle to do legal research instead of Wes Law. The students didn't want to take the time or devote the energy to learn how to use a more in-depth search platform dedicated to their own future profession. Go figure.

I have encountered the same logic used by students to complete research or written assignments in my own classroom. I think it is the accessibility, familiarity with and ease of use that drives students to opt for goggle, etc. It is the internet quivalent of the Encyclopedia Britannica in my day. I had to be taught that the Encyclopedia was not the alpha and omega of all knowledge and that it was simply a general reference--and I think that goggle fits in the same category.

Sadly there has been a general dumbing down of folks in this country. A combination of things I guess. Poor education, poor attitudes about education. I think most people don't have necessary grey matter to make decisions concerning themselves and the world they live in. They just accept what is told to them without questioning it. It doesn't bode well for our country.

I'm of the "it's a tool" camp. Smart people use the tool for smart things, and stupid people use it for stupid things.

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't think memorization inherently improves problem-solving skills

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I'm not sure that is completely true.

I do think that memorising and retaining a lot of basic information enables us to solve problems more quickly.
You often see people reach for a calculator when many of us oldies would have already got the solution mentally before the first button was pressed.

In my job, and many others I suspect, time is of the essence and the less time wasted gathering basic information which could be stored in your head instead of a book or a computer, the better.

I also believe that if we have a lot basic knowledge, we become more accomplished at being able to think things through unaided and arrive at a solution.

I reckon those black cab drivers will be less likely to suffer from disease's like Alzheimer’s etc...


Mick

Why should people think when there are so many organizations willing to do it for them? Between the layers of government from city hall upward and the media(almost every article you read or hear is obviously bias one way or the other) all of the thinking has been done for you. Even corporate workplace policy. Modern intellectualism these days consists of nodding your head to what you are told. Its not like it was a hundred years ago when the simplest mistake could cost you your life and analytical thought was of absolute necessity.

I Being the young buck on here have notced that my generations has little common sence some of the kids i know will be telling me about an underage party they went to and then will say that they posted pics on there face book or whatever site they post on. Common sence tells you not to post any picture that might stir up trouble but thats where the common sence thing comes in.

I dont see how anyone could be dunb enough to post something that they know is not a good idea and then they will brag about it. I just wanna smack them up alongside the head and say heres you sign.