> Critical thinking is inconvenient and does not scale, but it's very important for finding the truth. Technology that disincentivizes critical thought makes it easier to spread lies.
True. At the same time, technology that removes the need for critical thinking is bona fide positive form of progress.
Think of e.g. consumer protection laws, and larger body of laws (and systems of enforcement) surrounding commerce. Their main goal is to reduce the risk for customers - and therefore, their need to critically evaluate every purchase. You don't as much critical thinking when you know certain classes of dangers are almost nonexistent; you don't need to overthink choices you know you can undo.
There are good and bad ways of eliminating inconvenience, but by itself, inconvenience is an indication of waste. Our lives are finite, and even our capacity to hope and dream is exhaustible. This makes inconvenience our enemy.
True. At the same time, technology that removes the need for critical thinking is bona fide positive form of progress.
Think of e.g. consumer protection laws, and larger body of laws (and systems of enforcement) surrounding commerce. Their main goal is to reduce the risk for customers - and therefore, their need to critically evaluate every purchase. You don't as much critical thinking when you know certain classes of dangers are almost nonexistent; you don't need to overthink choices you know you can undo.
There are good and bad ways of eliminating inconvenience, but by itself, inconvenience is an indication of waste. Our lives are finite, and even our capacity to hope and dream is exhaustible. This makes inconvenience our enemy.