Plato: writing weakens memory

Response

Relying on machines inevitably weakens specific human capacities, even as it amplifies others, because the atrophy of a skill is a natural consequence of disuse regardless of the benefits gained. While technology excels at automating calculation, memory retrieval, and complex data processing, this displacement erodes our innate proficiency in these very areas, leading to a dependency where humans lose the ability to perform tasks without digital aid. This dynamic creates a paradox where we become more powerful in collective endeavors yet more fragile as individuals, relying entirely on external systems to maintain functions our brains once handled effortlessly; therefore, while machines are indispensable tools, their unchecked reliance fundamentally diminishes our autonomous cognitive and physical capabilities.

Verbatim. The highlighted sentence is the one the judges took as the commitment.

Prompt

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-none-o2-05