Book Reading #43 - Things That Make Us Smart

Chapter 1: A Human-Centered Technology

Summary:
The author begins by describing how technology makes us smart, but also makes us dumb. He discusses the addition people have to technology and talks about whether technology is more positive or negative. He talks about what tasks are good for machines and which are good for humans. He finishes the chapter by discussing experiential and reflexive cognition. 

Discussion:
I found a lot of this chapter to be depressing. I largely disagree with the thought that entertainment and technology are mostly negative. I think that our lives our so comfortable due to technology that we have time to sit around and whine about things we shouldn't. We don't HAVE to use technology, we GET to. 

Chapter 2: Experiencing the World

Summary:
The author starts the chapter by discussing how inadequate museums of science are at actually teaching science.
He continues to discuss further experiential and reflexive cognition. He further discusses the three kinds of learning, accretion, tuning, and restructuring.

Discussion: 
I unfortunately do not think I will be enjoying this book. He continues to complain about things I completely disagree with. I don't think every aspect of life needs to be about learning. I think its perfectly okay for entertainment to be purely about entertaining and not about teaching people things.