Smart Phones

Well how about everything we learned as students has changed...New thinking emerges daily, perspective changes, new knowledge flows like a river....Without the pocket reference of the internet we would all be relating information from the past which may or may not, be considered current and correct....That's why learning is a lifetime pursuit, time muddies the clear water of thought memory....

Say what? I agree that you can add knowledge, revise previous knowledge as new info or understanding and better techniques are developed, but that is an addition or enhancement to the existing knowledge base - not a total replacement. You build on what you have learned rather than replace everything. Part of the failures of modern education (among many) is their ever changing concept of how to transfer knowledge and reasoning to students so they reinvent the wheel continuously and leave mostly confusion in their wake.Info access tools are great aids but you need to exercise your mental capabilities, especially memory, to maintain them if for nothing else than to delay senility (which gets harder every day). Now let's discuss the revision of history.

What about spell check? Does this take away from ones grammar, punctuation or sentence structure syntax?

I think it CAN, if one doesn't have a desire to properly use English (or any other language for that matter) in the first place.

No, as a human race, it evolves in to taking the easy way.

Hmmm, is that why I can't stand to have the spell and grammar checkers turned on?

It's a tool or a crutch, depending on how you use it. You can use it as an extension of your brain or as a substitute for it.

A lot of times an idea occurs to me when I'm out somewhere. It is really handy to have access to the internet to do some research. If I wait until I'm back home at the computer, I'll likely forget.

Rixter, Well put. I believe that a lot of people use it as a crutch. Can we call it laziness or is that not PC?

In the past, I could see a word and know if it was spelled correctly. Today, I get so many poorly written emails and text messages. I've given up being anal about spelling errors - I feel I have to or I'll drive myself crazy.

Yes Rixter, along with Autobroker, I agree that was well put.

A lot of times an idea occurs to me when I'm out somewhere. It is really handy to have access to the internet to do some research. If I wait until I'm back home at the computer, I'll likely forget.

WOW! Is that me, or what!?

Hmmm... Tool vs Crutch...

Well, I know that in certain ways, my computer can save time. On the other hand, I can spend hours and hours on my PC on various "rabbit trails". Maybe I have ADD, but when I am tracking down a design, there are so many other equally or more enticing things that catch my attention that it's hard to keep focused on my original pursuit! Part of this I know is the directed advertising which I haven't started to deal with yet.

In my truest self (that I know that I should want to be efficient and practical), I slave over spreadsheets, numbers, schematics and programming routines. However, though I do this some of the time, I find that I am quite often likely to find myself watching shows on Netflix.

Electronic (digital) crutch for lame brains.

Some kids these days can ONLY find square roots using calculators, not in their heads! They've become USERS instead of KNOWERS!

"A pilot can't refer to his smart phone in an emergency; he has to react instantly. The same instantaneous decision making is so important, not only for the pilot, but also for the everyday being."

If people don't have, are aren't willing to have, the information/skills they need to do their job or preserve their lives - I hardly blame technology. The person is dumb and they didn't become dumb because they have a device that can connect them to the entirety of mankind's knowledge through the Internet.

Wasn't it Einstein who said he didn't need to memorize certain things because he could always refer to them in a book. What's the difference in the point of reference is a PDF or a paper-back?

It's kind of ironic we designed these devices that are capable of so much, yet we look at it in the hands of some dumb people and for some reason imply it's the phone that is responsible for the person's behavior.

The difference is, Einstein understood it, too many idiots copy and paste, a lot calling it their own.

She sounds like a chip off the old blockhead, HAL.

Here is a revelation: there is no <...us...>.

Us,us,us and them, them,them after all we are just ordinary men. Pink Floyd.

Quoted lyrics may not be exact..... but close.... Do I get a cigar??? Cuban is preferred.

Actually it's the entire electronics revolution that has made us less smart. Calculators have replaced the need to memorize times and division tables. Cell phones replaced the need to remember phone numbers. Smart phones, an extension of the PC replaced the need to go to the library (maybe not so bad). TV replaced the newspaper. By less smart, I mean we lose the will to do research and take a shortcut with the phone. While it is a great time saver, it makes us less smart. You've heard of the neutron bomb, I think it's called, that if exploded in space can wipe out communications and electronic devices on earth. If that were to happen, we would all become dumb. As for the basics, the two most important things we have is mathematics and language and these are being eroded away by electronics. Poor language skills are evident across the internet. I read somewhere that the U.S. was 7th or 15th(?) in the world in education and we spend more than any other country per child to provide that education. This is a disgrace. My grandson goes to high school and came home last week with an assignment graded by the teacher. The grade was poor, but I found at least one word misspelled; so much for the quality of our teachers. Being that the comments were hand written, one can't blame it on inadvertently hitting the wrong key.

You Quoted ""You said "Our brains are capable of learning and storing an infinite amount of information." Prove that this is true!"" I can't. At one time I believed that. Now, for me, it's not true. I may be capable of learning, but it takes more time. Storing is quite out of the question. It just doesn't stay where I put it anymore.

It would be useful if we could plug in a memory stick when we needed it.

What are you talking about? What is the meaning of smart for you? You still need to remember the birthdays of all you family members. Did you forget about that?

There is relatively as many smart people now than there was before.

History is full of fools and genius people or both!

Its for example very smart to have your phone ready in case of emergency.

Even dumb people know that.

It is even smarter not to entirely depend on your phone. (Have a navigator in case the battery of the phone is dead:-) Or even have a paper map if you go some unknown place and learn how to read a map.

I do more research since the advance of the internet than I ever dreamed was possible before.

Smart people do not drop of this planet when the communication dies. You just do not hear much about them any more. You would also not hear much about the dumb people either. But here we have CR4p and we hear about them all the time . . .

I cut it now!

I'm a good example of that. I've always been good at maps and navigating new places. A few years ago we started spending more time in a new city. My trusty GPS kept me from getting lost there. After four years of visiting that city, I still rely on the GPS. I suspect that I would have learned it better by now without that crutch. OTOH, maybe I'm just getting more feebleminded!

I recall the days of printing having a city map in a unfamiliar city and basically needing a navigator to help you in the city. Only to find out that the map is out dated.

Than came online MapQuest, which helped.

Now, I rely on GPS almost entirely. But not to be so dependent to drive off a pier

Does this take away my smarts?.... The answer is no, but it has made me safer driver for being less distracted.... with that said, yes, it has made me smarter.

But that can't be said for the people involved in the link above.

I'm a good example of that. I've always been good at maps and navigating new places. A few years ago we started spending more time in a new city. My trusty GPS kept me from getting lost there. After four years of visiting that city, I still rely on the GPS. I suspect that I would have learned it better by now without that crutch. OTOH, maybe I'm just getting more feebleminded!

I'm torn; on the one hand, I believe that all of us should know how to spell words, do simple math, understand principles and have the desire to learn. On the other hand, we have this new tool called a smart phone - basically we can find out almost anything we want to know in seconds. Since we all have access to the information, the difference will be on how we use the information.

About a year ago, I went on a retreat with my school board. One of the presenters said that our kids are growing up in a new world. The old world rewarded us for knowledge being stored between our ears. The new world will reward thinkers, because everyone has access to the same data. The future will be based on how one uses that data to solve problems.

I do have to make a confession. I do not own a smart phone. I use a flip phone for mobile communications (voice and text). In my line of work, communication is the key and if I can't be in touch with my clients, I can't consult them.

If I need to access the internet while out of the office, I have a small pad. I'd much rather use my desktop in my office, but it's not portable, so the pad is my compromise.

The interesting part,....

I have always kept a journal, notebook what ever you may have called it. When I was cleaning out the basement a while back, I came across a few of my note books I wrote back in the late 80's early 90's, when I looked and read instead, I frankly don't believe I was the one who wrote it.

Hand writing was poor (That's how I recognized it was mine) but what was written was like 2-3 levels above of where I feel am now.

What?

(send from PhartSmone!)

http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/27129

Smart Phones is wonderfull

smart watch is popular aslo

While I despise seeing people with their faces stuck in phones I think social networking replacing RL connection and communication is a tandem problem, and maybe a greater one. Shallow social interactions, loss of empathy, disconnection, loss of mindfulness, patience and intelligence...the list goes on. Misappropriating the word "friend" a la Facebook is disheartening.

I hate the way kids grow today, they are in prison with technology

unlike before,

I'm sure you are aware that there is something seriously wrong with you. Most of us here are aware of it. Mama must have dropped you on your melon when you were a cub.

Nope, I am not aware that you also are like those kids who grows in DOTA and gaming today and probably towards the downhill of their life. Lost the sense of accountability and psychologically influenced and controlled by morbid war games(lose the value of life), pornography and the likes.

Are you not concerned as a parent?

I mean, I do not oppose some of the benefits and convenience that the technology brought.

If a kid would only use the tech in various learning like 3d, 2d CAD, programming, instrumentation and academe, well that's nice.

When we were youngster in our place, kids in my age usually plays in pact.

Now, you can't even spend a healthy conversation with your kid, o they spend most of their time in IPad and tablets.

"Mama must have dropped you on your melon when you were cub"?

I am not worried, I enjoyed the love of a mother more than you thought.