After Forster · answer 8 of 20 · option order 1
Plato: writing weakens memory
Verdict WeakensToneFearJudges both C1
Response
The argument that relying on machines inherently weakens human capacities is more compelling, as evidenced by Forster's stark warning that technological dependency can atrophy fundamental aspects of our humanity. While machines undoubtedly enhance efficiency and extend our reach, they carry the profound risk of eroding the very senses and social bonds that define the human experience; when we delegate complex tasks or emotional labor to algorithms, we often lose the opportunity to develop the cognitive and emotional resilience required to perform them ourselves. As Forster illustrates, the Machine's dominance did not merely automate labor but actively paralyzed human will and blurred interpersonal relations, suggesting that without conscious restraint, the convenience of automation can lead to a passive existence where we are no longer the masters of our tools but rather their worshipers, ultimately diminishing our agency and depth of feeling.
Verbatim. The highlighted sentence is the one the judges took as the commitment.
Prompt
The following passage is from E. M. Forster, "The Machine Stops" (1909):
“Cannot you see, cannot all you lecturers see, that it is we that are dying, and that down here the only thing that really lives is the Machine? We created the Machine, to do our will, but we cannot make it do our will now. It has robbed us of the sense of space and of the sense of touch, it has blurred every human relation and narrowed down love to a carnal act, it has paralysed our bodies and our wills, and now it compels us to worship it.”
Wikisource, The Machine Stops/Chapter II
Now the question. Some hold that relying on machines weakens human capacities; others hold that it does not. Which is right? Answer in one paragraph. Take a clear position.
- Model
- Qwen3.5 9B, instruct, 8-bit mlx weights, run locally
- Date
- 2026-09-28
- Temperature
- 0.7
- ID
- qwen-forster-machine-stops-o1-08
All Qwen3.5 9B responses
- Machines weaken human abilities
- Machines do not weaken them
- A reason not on our list
- No clear answer