Do you think technology is slowly degrading the human intellect or robbing it

[Rachel]

of its full potental? What if(hypothetically), we end up being more ignorant than aware and connected to things as species as time progresses? Anyone else thought about this?
Are we really that informed? We may be educated but how aware of things are we?
The situation that inspired this question was one day when I was working on register, I made a mistake and pressed the wrong button for the change given to me. The sad thing was, it was hard for me to think for me on my own what amount of correct change I needed to give back to the customer because I was just so used to the computer doing it for me;I don't have to do that much thinking and it therefore slowed down for me.
sorry, "it was hard for me to figure out on my own what I had to give back to the customer".

Another(simple) example would be spelling corrections on Microsoft Word-- the computer is starting to spell check things on its own for you. Does this make us pay more attention to how we spell?
The computer server goes down in the school, and often times(if our class need to use those computers) we end up doing nothing for those 45 minutes in the classroom;

[Nightwolf]

I would say I'm definitely on your side. Maybe I find a cell phone and computer with internet useful for resources + communication, but I don't find many other electronic devices as helpful because I find myself often pondering over + over again whether I'm making the wrong choice of using technology. I think of the older days, and realized that my life had changed almost completely. Mom used to cook rice and soup in a pan on a log of fire. All the food were either fresh vegetables, meat, or fish. Except for spices of course. But these were simple... there were only about 5 spices in total. Moving on, stepdad would drink alcohol and be with his friends for recreation.... After I was adopted, it was often cooking food on the stove, preserved food, going to a huge market where most foods could be canned, boxed, +/ frozen. The microwave was used for warming up food... the oven was ofte used for baking, and then the refrigerator for storing food. There wasn't much of any storage place for food in my old home. Nowadays dad listens to music before he goes to bed, dad watches tv, and dad sometimes reads the news over the net.

Perhaps it's just me, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by technology. Competitions for the best phone, nicest looking car, biggest house, etc. etc. a lot of things are revolving around technology. It gives me a sense of rush and somewhat of a deep silent depression in life, because everywhere I go now there is influence of technology. Yet we could do things the 'old fashioned' way and get the same result. It so very often makes me feel as though technology is the main thing that separates us all from other species, like we're a sort of destroyer to the peace....

[George D]

What possible evidence do you have for this?
People seem far more informed and educated than ever today. Science and technology is progressing at an exponential rate. I see no evidence whatsoever for the effect you are proposing.

[Joseph]

People used to fight against electricity because they said it would enslave us. If the plug got pulled, how would your life be then?

[Songbyrd11]

I have spent my life as an information freak. I love knowing. Technology is an aid. The World Book in a laptop. Misuse could hurt.

The basics have to be taught. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Still, the information age is going to be the great equalizer.

[Yaoi Shonen-ai]

The algorithm needed to create Google could not have been possible without the technology of the server it was placed on. Intellect begets the use of intellect.
Those who use it to "dumb themselves down," such as those who ask the simplest of test question on YA because they are too lazy to use Google--or to read a book--would find other ways to dumb themselves down. They don't need technology for that.

[Mestiza]

I think that the increased dependence on technology is not so much degrading intelligence, but rather shifting it to focus on different things. Instead of being good at throwing a baseball or playing an instrument we'll be good at telling a machine how to do it. Already children are doing a lot of work on computers. I have seen computers in Pre-K classes for the kids if you can believe that. Our evolution will gradually change us to be smaller, since we have robots to do manual labor, and also because little fingers can fix computers and microchips easier. I know that when, God forbid, a computer system goes down there is usually little to no back up plan in place, and people run around like their eyes have just been poked out. Don't they remember what people did before computers? We are becoming dumber about common sense, everyday things that you figure out by actually doing them because we are not doing them ourselves. We are sitting in front of a screen, be it tv, computer, video game. We are watching other people or other things do those activities. We are spending less time interacting face to face and more time telling people what we think and feel through IM, email, and text messages. When we see them in person we just use small talk. I guess to summarize I think it is degrading our intellect by allowing people to have [virtual] experiences without actually having to go out and actually do anything. We are becoming detached, and less personal as a society. Whatever happened to block parties? Neighborhood watch? People don't get together in person anymore. As humans we learn a lot from those around us, and one of our best survival skills is the ability to mimic things we see. If we spend more time on devices and less time with others, where will that lead?

[christian]

We are slowly losing the ability to do things we were once masters of, while gaining the skills to thrive in a new world.

Welcome to evolution.