The original purpose of this article was a response essay of ‘You still Need Your Brain’ for the English class in EPITA PARIS (Computer Science/Semester4) Exchange student. I strongly recommend you read the original article which I refer to.
EPITA PARIS (Computer Science/Semester4) Exchange student. I strongly recommend you read the original article which I refer to.Daniel T. Willingham, <You Still Need Your Brain>
Rethinking When We Should Use Our Brains
In his book, <How to Take Smart Notes>, Sönke Ahrens introduced a man with an extraordinary ability to remember everything. Despite his unique skill, he struggled with understanding abstract concepts such as "love," "emotion," and "morals." His experiences provide insights into when we should remember and when we should use our brains to think more deeply.
Daniel T. Willingham, in his article <You Still Need Your Brain>, argued that we must still use our brains because search engines lack context and are slower than biological indexing. However, he not only overlooked how humans save information in the brain and develop civilization without memorizing but also underestimated how much time it takes to memorize something, leading to misconclusions.
Abstraction simplifies complexity, promoting human progress. It has been the foundation of human civilization, as it continuously changes what is important for humans. For example, abstraction is a common idea in engineering. We don't need to memorize the inner workings of electronic devices or the principles of smartphones, even though we use them daily. With technology that can abstract calculations and hide complex processes like solving 397,394 x 9, there's no reason to learn or memorize how to calculate 397,394 x 9. This allows human to focus on more relevant and creative tasks.
Although searching for information on the internet can be slow, the time required to memorize something is often underestimated. Willingham argued that any frequently needed information is worth memorizing. However, this solution falls short. Because Mr. Rochelle "couldn't answer" why his children should learn the quadratic equation as "it would appear frequently in your life!" This suggests that it is uncertain whether memorizing the quadratic equation wouldn’t be considered unnecessary material and a waste of time. Willingham's solution fails to explain why the child needed to memorize it. Time cannot be reclaimed, even if the memorization turns out to be useless.
Connecting abstract ideas through the Mental Grid Model theory can make retrieving information in one's mind much faster and more efficient. For instance, instead of memorizing individual historical events, one could learn the overarching themes and patterns that shaped those events. By understanding the relationships between key events and the context in which they occurred, a person can more effectively recall information and gain deeper insights. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding relationships between concepts rather than focusing solely on memorization.
The human brain is designed to forget. Consequently, people cannot memorize everything, even if it's useful. Dunbar suggested that humans cannot recall meaningful memories of relationships with more than 150 people. Instead of memorization, humans possess the powerful skill of abstraction. With abstraction, it's possible to remember abstract concepts that can help to recover concrete concepts.
Remember the man who could recall everything. He had no room to create high-level images by connecting abstracted concepts, which are formed through understanding and forgetting, rather than memorizing. People don't know him because he didn't contribute to humanity, even though he was excellent at memorizing. Researchers have found that he was one of the most unsocialized and unhappy people in the world. This serves as a reminder that forgetting and connecting abstracted concepts is crucial for a fulfilling life.
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