Human Machines

Towards the end of the book Carr discusses what he feels makes us human. He states, “What makes us most human, …the connections between our mind and our body, the experiences that shape our memory and our thinking, our capacity for emotion and empathy. The great danger we face as we become more intimately involved with out computers…is that we’ll begin to lost our humanness, to sacrifice the very qualities that separate us from machines” (207). He voices his concern that the use of technology will deteriorate our higher order thinking. Our ability to think and reason is what separates from other animals. Carr feels as though the only difference we have from machines is that we have the ability think on our own and feel. He suggests that the more we rely on our computers and technology the greater risk we are at for becoming machines as well.

I can see where Carr is coming from because computers are mindless and information is fed to us. If we rely on them so heavily there is no need to think for ourselves. If we relied on them heavily enough and long enough we may lose our abilities to think for ourselves.

 This being said I do not agree with Carr. I think it would take much more than a reliance on technology to lose our humanness. Humans have the ability to reason, control their actions, feel emotions and many other unique traits. While technology can be addicting it is absurd to think that we won’t be able to think for ourselves and lose the traits that make us humans.

While machines have the ability to work faster than humans and retrieve information faster than anything else, it would be ridiculous to think that humans will ever stoop to the level of machines. Just because humans use machines in their everyday life it does not mean that we couldn’t live without them. While we rely on technology we could adapt and survive without it if we had to.

Carr is also saying that by using computers we are not shaping our memory and thinking. I disagree with this. The Internet is a valuable source that holds more information than anyone can fathom. If used for its benefits almost anything can be learned if there is a desire to learn it. When we use a computer we are forming memories. Just because we are communicating in a different way than previous generations it does not mean that we are any less capable than previous generations.

It is also ridiculous to think that using machinery will disrupt our emotions. While it may have an affect on how deeply we feel humans still have the ability to feel and relate to others. The Internet and social networking just make staying in contact easier. If anything the Internet has helped many couples stay together. Through the use of Skype and social networking site many couples that are separated due to military constraints have been able to stay in their relationships. Unless the frontal cortex of our brain was removed we will still be able to empathize and sympathize with other human beings.

-Nikki Gaspari