Are We Losing Our Reasoning?

Staying Ahead of AI and LLM Bots

Recently, my wife was trying to decide which new phone to buy. There were tons of reviews online, algorithms suggesting ‘the best choice,’ and comparison websites showing all the specs. But instead of just going with the highest-rated option, she thought about what she actually needed from a phone — long battery life, a good camera, and decent aesthetics.

Last weekend, my old friend decided to visit me without using GPS. He had been here a few times before, but it had been a while. Instead of relying on his phone, he used his memory and some common sense. He told me that it felt good to find his way without digital help, and he was happy to realize that he could still trust his own sense of direction.

And when it comes to my investments, there have been many times when I listened to my gut feeling, even when my data analysis suggested otherwise. Surprisingly, most of the time, trusting my intuition has paid off, and I haven’t regretted going with my own instincts.

With the rise of AI and chatbots, there’s a growing concern: Are we losing our ability to think and reason on our own? These advanced technologies can handle a lot of tasks for us, but what does that mean for the way we reason and make decisions?

Humans use different types of reasoning to solve problems and understand the world:

Deductive Reasoning: This is when we start with a general idea and then look at specific details to reach a conclusion. It’s like solving a puzzle with a set of rules.

Inductive Reasoning: This involves looking at specific examples and making a general statement. For example, if you see that the sun rises every morning, you might conclude that it will always rise.

Abductive Reasoning: Here, we make the best guess based on limited information. If you see wet streets, you might guess it rained, even if you didn’t see the rain.

Analogical Reasoning: This is when we compare two things that are similar in some way. For example, if a car runs out of fuel, it stops; similarly, if our bodies run out of energy, we feel tired.

Critical Thinking: This means questioning and evaluating what we hear, see, or read. It involves not just accepting information but thinking about whether it makes sense.

Intuitive Reasoning: This is when we go with our gut feelings or instincts, often based on experience.

In the age of AI, some of these reasoning types are more at risk:

Inductive Reasoning: AI can look at huge amounts of data and find patterns quickly. This might make us rely on AI too much and not develop our skills in seeing patterns and making conclusions ourselves.

Intuitive Reasoning: Since AI can make predictions and give advice, people might start to depend on AI for decisions rather than trusting their own instincts. This could weaken our natural ability to make quick decisions.

Critical Thinking: If we rely on AI-generated information without questioning it, we might lose our ability to think deeply and critically about what we are told.

To make sure we don’t lose our reasoning skills, we can do the following:

Practice Thinking for Ourselves: Take time to solve problems on your own without immediately turning to AI or technology. This helps keep our minds sharp and improves our reasoning skills.

Question What You See and Hear: Don’t just accept information from AI or any source without thinking about it. Ask questions like, “Does this make sense?” or “Is there another explanation?” This keeps our critical thinking skills strong.

Trust Your Instincts: Don’t ignore your gut feelings. Even when AI offers advice, consider how you feel about it and whether it fits with your experience and understanding.

Learn Continuously: Stay curious and keep learning new things. The more we know, the better we can reason and make decisions.

Use AI as a Tool, not a Crutch: See AI as a helper that can provide information and insights but remember that humans are the ones making the final decisions. Balance AI’s input with your own thinking and judgement.

While AI can help us in many ways, it’s important not to lose our own reasoning abilities. We should continue to practice thinking for ourselves, questioning what we see and hear, and trusting our instincts. This will help us stay sharp and make better decisions, even in a world full of advanced technology.

If you loved this story, please feel free to check my other articles on this topic here: https://ankit-rathi.github.io/tradevesting/

Ankit Rathi is a data techie and weekend tradevestor. His interest lies primarily in building end-to-end data applications/products and making money in stock market using Tradevesting methodology.