Plato: writing weakens memory

Response

The assertion that relying on machines does not weaken human capacities is fundamentally flawed because it ignores the biological and cognitive reality that skills atrophy without practice, a phenomenon known as "use it or lose it." While machines undoubtedly augment our efficiency and allow us to tackle complex problems, they simultaneously erode our innate abilities to perform those specific tasks manually, as evidenced by the decline in mental arithmetic skills due to calculators or the loss of manual craftsmanship due to automation. Therefore, the correct position is that reliance on machines does weaken certain human capacities, though it simultaneously strengthens others, resulting in a net shift rather than a simple gain or loss; consequently, without conscious effort to maintain core competencies and foster adaptability, we risk becoming overly dependent on technology and losing the autonomy to function independently when machines fail or are unavailable.

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-o2-08