by Francisco Iacobelli

Created on: November 14, 2008

Technology has helped mankind for years. Think about writing. Pen and paper are technology, and a very old one with more than 6000 years of age. Detractors of technology, however, have existed since then. Socrates' story about the inventor of writing, Toth and his dialogue with the king Thamus illustrates the points that were made against this technology. King Thamus said to Thoth: "You, who are the father of writing, have out fondness of your off-spring attributed to it quite the opposite of its real function. Those who acquire it will cease to exercise their memory and become forgetful; they will rely on writing to bring things to their remembrance by external signs instead of by their own internal resources. What you have discovered is a receipt for recollection, not for memory. And for wisdom, your pupils will have the reputation for it without the reality: they will receive a quantity of information without proper instruction, and in consequence be thought very knowledgeable when they are for the most part ignorant. And because they are filled with the conceit of wisdom instead of real wisdom they will be a burden to society."

It is appropriate to state the obvious: No one today would agree that reading and writing imporverish the mind. Years have passed and, as usual, history repeats itself. In the early 1900s it was the telephone against face to face communication. Face to face was the "smart" thing to do for those critics (and they came up with very interesting criticisms, but that is material for a different story)

What these people do not get is that, not only the creation of technology itself enriches the mind and creativity, but the way in which people use it also does. Going back to the telephone, an invention initially intended to help the deaf; who would have thought that something that could help the deaf hear could help the hearing communicate at long distances! Bell, and followers definetely did not have a poor mind.

But what about the users of technology? Users generate information in creative ways thanks to technology; think pictures, documentaries, books, blogs, wikipedia and news. Users also benefit from technology that does not allow this creation process directly, but stimulates the mind; think transportation and the ability to see places and cultures that are different from ours. For almost every piece of technology there can be potentially many uses to enrich the mind... just think of the piece of techology you are using to read this debate.

Lastly, let me talk a bit about video games: They are a piece of technology favored by those who think technology equals dumb. Well, the Nintendo Wii has brought exercise to couch potatoes and online games like Guitar Hero have brought people together from many parts of the world to make music. But this is not only for the young. Several studies confirm that some video games can help the elderly get IQ levels comparable to those of their early years.

Tehcnology is a tool. A tool that can be used to augment our knowledge and creativity. In a way, it is like a knife. If you think it can kill people, then you shouldn't use it, but if you want to learn how to cook, you must have one.

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