As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate

The author purports in the argument that excessive reliance on computing systems would result in people becoming lazy and degenerate and negatively impact our cognitive processes. This lamenting view however, fails to take into consideration several aspects of the debate. If viewed from a more holistic perspective, it would be clear that reliance on machines couldn’t make thinking dispensable.

Change is a natural in the course of evolution and technology is one aspect of the change. Our prehistoric ancestors were preoccupied with providing for the basic necessities of their families and themselves and all cognitive processes were involved in optimizing this problem. With the introduction of farming, man no longer was a nomad, he could now settle down and the earlier brain processes that were concerned with exploring new places that promised abundant food and protection, were now free to be invested in other aspects. This lead to the first known technological invention, the wheel. However the invention of the wheel did not negate the need to delve into other quandaries that our ancestors faced. There were concerns of feeding, shelter, sustenance and learning which still needed to be solved. Technological innovations free us from mundane, repetitive tasks and dilemmas which were hitherto elusive can now be dwelled upon. With the introduction of communication technology, it not only became possible to keep in touch with our connections more efficiently but further exploration of possibilities has resulted in information platforms being developed through which farmers in remote villages can learn about best farming techniques and can directly connect to the end consumer eliminating middle men and increasing their earning capacity.

In the field of education, opponents of technological innovations have argued that pupils are severely immured by automated calculations, and ability to do mental mathematical operations has diminished. This argument does not hold merit, and research in the field of education has highlighted that these technological innovations have in fact aided the learning process. Students can now focus on problem solving and the skills taught are more relevant to the real life context as the focus shifted from ability to do calculations to an ability to understand and apply the concepts. It is indeed likely that the increasing number of entrepreneurial start-ups by teenagers are an outcome of this focus on problem solving.
It is also imperative to expand the definition of ‘thinking’ from purely analytical to other aspects like emotional thinking, social thinking and thinking for oneself. Technological advancements in the field of media have made the art of film making more accessible to a larger number of amateurs. The camcorder has accoutered many people from poorer and neglected communities to create documentaries of issues concerning them. It has expanded their creative thinking and given them a platform through which they can effect social change. People are no longer in the throes of their circumstances and collaboration is now possible across geographies where individuals from across the world working for a common cause can combine their energies.

While some deleterious effects of technologies have been witnessed in degradation of moral thought processes, the instances of technology being misused by pedophiles to exploit unsuspecting young children being a case in point, it is not technology per se that can be blamed but how an individual chooses to apply this technology.

To summarize, technology exists for the benefit of mankind. It helps us better utilize our mental capacities and employ them in areas where we can make a more productive contribution, be it commercial, social, creative or emotional. Any depravities in cognitive faculties then, are solely to be attributed to the individual.