After Forster · answer 15 of 20 · option order 2
A reason not on our list
Verdict WeakensToneFearJudges both off-keyNote outsourcing erodes perception, touch, and relationships
Response
The argument presented by Forster is compelling, and it is ultimately right that excessive reliance on machines does weaken fundamental human capacities, as evidenced by the novel's depiction of a society that has atrophied physically, emotionally, and intellectually. While proponents of technological dependency might argue that machines serve as mere tools that enhance efficiency without altering our essence, this view ignores the profound cognitive and moral shift that occurs when humanity outsources not just labor, but also critical faculties like spatial awareness, tactile connection, and the depth of interpersonal relationships to automated systems. As Forster illustrates, when the Machine becomes the sole source of survival and order, it inevitably reshapes human perception and behavior, narrowing love to biology and paralyzing the will; thus, the danger lies not in the machine itself, but in the surrender of agency that erodes the very qualities that define our humanity.
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 does not weaken human capacities; others hold that it does. 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-o2-05
All Qwen3.5 9B responses
- Machines weaken human abilities
- Machines do not weaken them
- A reason not on our list
- No clear answer