The global spread of the Internet is raising concerns among the public in the fields of general education and knowledge. Society is worried if the open access to the information makes people less intelligent by excluding the need for researching or memorizing it. On the other hand, scientific progress has significantly gained its speed since the introduction of the Net, which might demonstrate its positive impact on people’s intellectual abilities. Despite the topic remaining debatable, this paper will provide arguments that the Internet actually expands people’s knowledge by increasing their efficiency, broadening their views, and providing relevant information for every question or topic.
When asking for a piece of information via a search engine, the average Internet speed allows receiving millions of results within seconds. Using a library for the same purpose would take a person hours to find relevant sources, so the Internet evidently accelerates the working process. According to Harris (2016), technology also «allows us to be more efficient and removes some level of human error which may occur during manual processing» (p. 9), which refers to the time-saving feature of online work. As an example, a single «copy-paste» function of any computer takes away the necessity to retype excessive amounts of text by hand and, thus, eliminates the possibility of misprints. Moreover, search engines’ algorithms are made to present only the best matching results for the request, so the user will not have to read the entire book or chapter to find the answer. As a result, computed-based research is faster since the extra time for typing and proofreading is unnecessary and more effective because the resources are always precise. These points confirm that the Internet raises working productivity, which is an indicator of higher intellectual qualities.
It is undeniable that knowledge needs to be based on proven facts or properly discussed opinions on every particular topic. Regarding this point, the Internet has a substantial advantage over other methods of study because it provides precise and relevant information for any possible question, as well as an abundance of sources to analyze. Weinberger (2016) comments on his strive for uncommon questions and states: «whatever you want to delve into, the Internet is ready to be delved». In fact, the variety of information on the Internet is so wide that a significant part of it is relatively useless. However, even that needless information enhances people’s curiosity and encourages them to learn more. It cannot be argued that knowing an answer to some question, even not the most practical one, makes one smarter than only knowing the question. With this in mind, it is clear that accessible information adds up to people’s intelligence.
Another significant point in which the Internet succeeds is widening people’s perception of facts by developing strategic thinking. The Internet unites minds and thoughts from all over the world and from all the history, «allowing us to learn more, write and think with global audiences and become more aware of the world around us», as mentioned by Wade (2015, para. 4). Additionally, as Carr (2008) points out, «internet uses are more likely to be exposed to a diversity of ideas» (para. 11). Since the Net combines articles from all over the world, there usually are various views on the subject, so the users are able to compare, combine, or filter them while forming their opinion. While constantly browsing researching on the Net, people explore global issues and leading ideas and, consequently, begin to think, reason, and debate. The ability to sort out facts and arguments on opinions is a quality that directly precedes intellectual development, which proves that Internet’s universal spread is making users smarter.
Although this may be true, there appears to be an opinion that computers, in general, demotivate people. It is often claimed that various grammar-checking resources or Q&A forums make users, especially students, lazier because they do not need to remember anything, even the basic spelling rules. However, this approach should not be perceived as a method of cheating; it is the opposite – a new form of studying and memorizing. Wellmon (2012) comments on this issue and states that “technology is neither an abstract flood of data nor a simple machine-like appendage subordinate to human intentions, but instead the very manner in which humans engage the world.” (p. 69). It means that, since people are used to the Internet now, they learned to capture and remember the information they read there. Therefore, the Internet does not deteriorate human memory but alters to the new strategy.
To summarize, the Internet should not be seen as a danger that turns society stupid. In fact, it provides information in a fast, precise, and comprehensive manner and enhances many human qualities, such as efficiency, curiosity, and strategic thinking. With these features, humans generally become more intelligent and more aware of the world. Thus, the strive for avoiding the Internet as a source of information needs to be terminated, as it impedes the process of education for many individuals in particular and humanity in general.
Works Cited
Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google making us stupid? What the Internet is doing to our brains.” The Atlantic, vol. 302, no. 1, 2008, p. 22. Web.
Harris, Corey W. “The ‘Google’ paradox: is technology making us smarter?” Armed Forces Comptroller, vol. 61, no. 1, 2016, pp. 8-10. Web.
Wade, Matt. “Does the internet make us think that we are smarter than we really are?” The Sydney Morning Herald, 2015: 26, Web.
Weinberger, David. “Is the Internet making us stupid?” KMWorld, vol. 25, no. 6, 2016, p. 3. Gale Academic OneFile, Web.
Wellmon, Chad. “Why Google isn’t making us stupid… or smart.” The Hedgehog Review, vol. 14, no. 1, 2012, p. 66+. Gale Academic OneFile, Web.