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0 pointsBurningFrog26d ago0 comments

We'll get worse at the things we don't need to do anymore.

That should mean that we can focus the freed up brain power at getting better at things we still need to do.

Time will tell!

0 comments

Not only did calculators not make the average person great at higher level math when they no longer had to do manual arithmetic, but it made them less capable in everyday situations when some basic mental arithmetic would still be helpful. The invention of calculators doesn't mean that people go to the trouble of pulling them out at the grocery store to keep from getting ripped off.

palmotea26d ago

> Not only did calculators not make the average person great at higher level math when they no longer had to do manual arithmetic

It's even worse than that: calculators can actually make higher level math more difficult (at least for me). I never developed strong manual arithmetic skills because I was a huge pro-calculator partisan in elementary school. When I got to college I really struggled with calculus, because manipulating equations requires arithmetic and that meant I had extra mental workload to operate the calculator.

cozzyd26d ago

And many people can't read a map...or know what's close to what

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