Outsourcing Thinking
5 days ago
- #AI Ethics
- #Human-Computer Interaction
- #Cognitive Science
- The blog discusses the cognitive impact of outsourcing thinking to large language models (LLMs), questioning whether it leads to mental atrophy.
- It challenges the 'lump of cognition fallacy,' arguing that thinking leads to more thinking, not a finite pool of cognitive tasks.
- The author agrees with some points from Andy Masley's blog, such as avoiding LLMs in tasks that build tacit knowledge, express care, or are valuable experiences.
- Personal communication is highlighted as an area where machine-transformed language can breach expectations and erode trust.
- The author argues that LLMs can hinder personal growth in writing and thinking, despite their utility in tasks like translation or bureaucratic processes.
- Functional text (e.g., code, recipes) is less affected by LLM use compared to personal or human-addressed text.
- The blog critiques the idea of the 'extended mind,' emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human cognition over external processing.
- It warns against underestimating the knowledge gained from repetitive tasks and the risks of over-reliance on automation.
- The conclusion calls for careful consideration of chatbot use, balancing efficiency with societal values and human experiences.