Musings on tools for thought

Posted by Dellu
May 11, 2022 at 07:31 AM

It seems to me that extremely intelligent people might not need computers that much to generate innovative ideas; and to connect concepts that they read a year ago with the concepts that they are thinking about right now.

If you are very brilliant, and have a powerful memory, your brain does most of the connection and remembering: you don’t need an external assistance. From interviews and other peoples comments, that is exactly how Noam Chomsky works, for example. He doesn’t use technology for thinking. He uses paper and pen. Computers are used only for typing. Still, he produces the most mind boggling ideas; and connects the present events with the event that happened in the 60’s and 70’ with ease.

I cannot do that. I would be paralyzed if I don’t have the data (notes) and stuff on my computer, because I have weaker brain—cannot remember details, and cannot connect complex ideas once they reach a certain level of complexity.

Yes, Einstein might not have benefited from computers. But, for the regular Joh, they are the tools which help us as close as possible to the thinking capacities of these powerful brains.