Welcome to this deep dive.
And we're gonna be tackling a pretty fascinating topic today.
Yeah.
The relationship between humans and technology.
You sent to this article called,
humans as technology using creatures
from hack science dot education.
Oh yeah.
And it's really making me wonder
if maybe we haven't been thinking about technology
in quite the right way.
It certainly challenges some common assumptions.
We often think about technology
as something separate from us.
You know, tools that we've created to make our lives easier.
But what if it's actually much more deeply intertwined
with our very humanity?
Okay, so let's unpack that idea a little bit.
The article starts off with a pretty bold question.
Is technology actually what makes us human?
Wow.
Now I know you're interested in education
in the 21st century.
So think about how that question could totally change
the way we approach teaching and learning.
Absolutely.
The article brings up archeologist Timothy Taylor
and his book, The Artificial Ape.
Yeah.
Where he argues that you can't really separate humans
from technology.
He paints this picture of early humans
physically not that impressive compared to other animals.
Right.
We're not as strong.
You know, we don't have big teeth or claws.
So how did we manage to not just survive but thrive?
Right, it's not like we could outmuscle a saber tooth tiger.
Exactly.
So is Taylor saying tools are like the missing piece
of that puzzle?
Exactly.
Taylor argues that tools were essential
for early humans to compensate for those physical limitations.
OK.
It's not just about making life easier.
It's about making life possible.
Even something as simple as a baby sling, which might not
seem like advanced tech, had a huge impact.
OK, a baby sling.
Break it down for me.
What's so revolutionary about that?
Well, think about it.
A baby sling essentially gives a mother extra arms.
She can carry her child while still gathering food
or making tools or even helping with a hunt.
Wow.
This seemingly basic invention could
have led to more cooperative hunting
strategies with someone caring for the children
while others focused on the task.
That means technology is changing the very way
we lived and worked together, even back then.
Wow.
I'm already starting to see how this challenges the simple,
you know, quote unquote, humans invented tools narrative.
Right.
It's more like this intertwined evolution,
where tools are shaping our societies
and maybe even our biology.
And Taylor takes it even further,
suggesting that our intelligence itself might have even
been spurred by early inventions.
Wow.
It's like a feedback loop.
Tools help us survive, which gives us the space and capacity
to develop more complex thought, which
leads to even better tools.
So instead of just asking, did humans invent tools?
Yeah.
We have to ask, did tools in some way help invent humans?
Wow.
That's a pretty wild thought.
But wait, the article doesn't stop there, right?
It brings up another big thinker in this space.
Yes.
It introduces us to Kevin Kelly and his concept of the technium.
Now remember, the technium isn't just
a fancy word for all the gadgets in the world.
Right.
It's the whole interconnected system of human creation,
including culture, art, social institutions,
and yes, technology.
It's not just the pieces.
It's how they all work together.
OK, so it's this massive evolving network
that we're all a part of.
Exactly.
But Kelly gets pretty out there, right?
Yeah.
It talks about the technium almost like it's alive.
He does suggest that the technium might
have its own kind of life in the sense
that it uses humans to propagate itself, to grow and evolve.
OK.
This brings up some really interesting questions
about our own agency.
Yeah.
Are we in control of technology, or is it in a way
shaping our choices and pushing us in certain directions?
Hold on.
That's starting to sound a bit spooky.
It is.
Are we just pawns in this big game of the technium?
Right.
Like, it's fascinating, but also kind of unsettling.
I'm definitely feeling like my assumptions about technology
are being challenged here.
It definitely pushes us to think beyond the simple idea
of technology as just a collection of tools.
Right.
It suggests a deeper, more symbiotic relationship
between humans and technology, one that's
been shaping us from the very beginning.
So we've got Taylor saying humans and technology
are inseparable.
Right.
And Kelly painting this picture of this vast, ever-evolving
technium.
And remember, you specifically wanted
to explore how all of this connects to education.
That's right.
So thinking about how technology might have even
shaped early humans, are we teaching the next generation
in a way that truly acknowledges
this profound connection?
That's a crucial question, and one will dig into further.
But first, the article introduces us
to yet another perspective that throws a wrench
into our typical thinking.
All right, so we've got these big ideas from Taylor and Kelly
really pushing us to see how deeply connected humans
and technology are.
Right.
But the article throws another curveball at us
with a different perspective.
Right.
It introduces us to historian David Nye,
who turns a familiar saying on its head.
We always hear necessity is the mother of invention.
But Nye argues that maybe it's the other way around.
Maybe technology doesn't just fulfill our needs.
Maybe it actually redefines what we consider necessary
in the first place.
OK, I'm going to need an example here,
because that sounds kind of mind bending.
Think about smartphones.
OK.
A few decades ago, they were a luxury item.
Right.
Something only a few people had.
Now, for many, they're seen as absolutely essential
for communication, for work, for navigating daily life.
Yeah.
Technology has literally reshaped
our perception of what we need to function in the world.
That's so true.
I remember thinking flip phones were the peak of cool,
and now we're all glued to these mini computers in our pockets.
Yeah.
It's crazy how quickly our needs can change when new technology
comes along.
And this connects back to Kelly's idea of the Technium.
And it's drive to create more.
It's like this fascinating cycle.
Technology shapes our needs, which
leads us to create more technology, which then reshapes
our needs, and on and on it goes.
So are we really in control of our choices?
Or is the Technium subtly nudging us along,
making us think we need things that we maybe didn't even
know existed a few years ago?
And this ties back to our big question about technology
and education.
Are we teaching students to be conscious participants
in this cycle?
Right.
Or are we just letting them get swept along?
That's a critical question.
And to understand where we're going,
it's helpful to look back at how this dynamic has played out
throughout history.
Think about it from the very beginning.
Technology has been a driving force in human evolution,
even something as simple as a sharpened stone.
The first cutting tool would have completely changed
the game for early humans.
It's easy to take something like that for granted.
But imagine being the first human to figure out,
you could shape a stone to make a sharper edge.
Suddenly, you're not just scavenging for scraps.
Right.
You're hunting bigger game.
Exactly.
Those early tools weren't just extensions
of their physical abilities.
They were extensions of their minds.
They allowed them to solve problems in new ways
to access new resources to adapt to new environments.
And that adaptation, in turn, shaped our biology.
That's right.
We evolved to become tool users.
Our brains and bodies becoming increasingly reliant
on the technology we created.
It's not just that we use technology.
It's that technology has fundamentally changed
who we are as a species.
The article mentions this fascinating example of cooking.
The invention of fire and the ability to cook food,
not only made foods safer and more digestible,
but it also unlocked additional calories and nutrients
that our ancestors couldn't access before.
Wait, so something as basic as cooking
could have actually affected our evolution?
Some anthropologists believe that the invention of cooking
played a crucial role in allowing our brains to grow
larger and more complex.
Because we were getting more nutrients from our food,
we had more energy to support those big hungry brains of ours.
So technology might have literally
shaped our physical evolution.
But that process of adaptation is still happening today.
Right?
I mean, think about how the internet and social media
have transformed the way we communicate,
the way we learn, even the way we think.
Exactly.
Like our brains are constantly rewiring themselves
to adapt to these new technology.
Absolutely.
We're constantly developing new skills, new ways
of interacting with the world, all driven
by these technological advancements.
But here's the thing.
What's that?
This adaptation isn't always a smooth or straightforward
process.
Right.
For all the amazing benefits technology brings,
there are also risks and challenges.
Of course.
We've seen how social media can be used to spread misinformation
and create echo chambers, or how automation can displace
workers and create economic uncertainty.
And those challenges are only going to get more complex
as technology continues to advance at this unprecedented rate.
Right.
So the question is, how do we prepare ourselves
and future generations to navigate this increasingly
complex landscape?
How do we ensure that technology serves humanity
rather than the other way around?
We've been diving deep into this idea
that technology and humans aren't just separate things,
but are deeply intertwined.
It's a little unsettling, honestly,
to think we might not be as in control as we think.
Right.
But you specifically wanted to explore this
in the context of education.
So where do we go from here?
How do we prepare the next generation for this future
where technology is so deeply woven into, well, everything?
It's a challenge, for sure, because we're not just teaching
facts and figures anymore.
Right.
We're trying to equip students to navigate a world that's
constantly evolving, a world where technology is reshaping
not just what we do, but who we are.
So it's not enough to just throw in a few coding classes
and call it a day.
Definitely not.
The article really emphasizes that understanding
this human technology connection has
to be a foundational part of education.
Yeah.
Not just an add-on.
It has to be a lens through which we view everything we teach.
OK, so let's get practical.
What does that actually look like in the classroom?
How do we shift our approach to teaching in this way?
Well, the first step is moving beyond this idea
that technology is just a set of tools to be mastered.
We need to help steering see it as a force that
shapes our culture, our values, even our identities.
Think about how social media has created
this whole new set of values around online popularity
and influence, something that was unimaginable just
a few decades ago.
That's a great point.
Technology isn't just neutral.
It's actively shaping what we think
is important or good or desirable.
So how do we teach students to be aware of that influence,
to be critical thinkers, and instead of just passive consumers?
We need to encourage them to ask questions to dig deeper.
Instead of just teaching them how W2U is a particular app
or platform, we need to ask, how is this technology shaping
the way you see the world?
What are its potential benefits?
And what are the potential downsides?
Who benefits from this technology?
And who might be disadvantaged?
Those are some heavy questions.
But you're right.
We can't just shield students from the complexity
of the world, especially when it comes to technology.
We have to give them the tools to think critically
to analyze the impact of technology
on themselves and their communities.
Exactly.
And beyond critical thinking, we also
need to empower students to be creators and innovators.
Instead of just being shaped by them with scholarly way
technology, we need to give them the skills and the confidence
to shape technology themselves.
OK, I love that idea.
But is that really realistic?
Can we really turn every student into a tech innovator?
Maybe not every student will become a tech CEO
or invent the next world-changing gadget.
But we can foster their creativity, their problem
solving skills, their ability to see a need
and use technology to address it.
Those are the skills that will be valuable no matter
what the future holds.
So this new approach to education
isn't about replacing one set of skills with another.
It's about fostering a deeper understanding
of this complex relationship between humans and technology.
And if we do that well, maybe we can help shape a future
where technology is truly a force for good in the world.
Absolutely.
And remember, this isn't just a task for educators.
It's a conversation we need to be having as a society.
Parents, policymakers, everyone
needs to be engaged in thinking critically
about how we want technology to shape our future.
This has been a mind-blowing deep dive, to be honest.
It's challenged a lot of my assumptions about technology
and made me realize just how much deeper
this conversation needs to go.
If we want to harness the incredible potential
of technology while also being mindful of its risks,
then we need to start asking these tough questions now.
Well said.
The future isn't predetermined.
We have the power to shape it.
And that power starts with understanding
the profound and often unpredictable relationship
between humans and the technology we create.
So to everyone listening, thank you
for taking this deep dive with us.
We hope it sparks some new ideas and maybe even
a little bit of healthy discomfort.
Because if we're going to navigate this technological future
together, we need to be asking the hard questions,
challenging our assumptions, and working together
to create a world where technology empowers us all.