Dumber than Darwin: Research shows human intelligence is falling since the 19th century – Times of India (blog)

Given developments in artificial intelligence many fear robots will soon surpass human intelligence, rendering human beings superfluous. One comfort for humans has been that at least we are smarter than our ancestors.Turns out even this could be false comfort. Research led by Michael Woodley from the Free University in Brussels has shown that our mental abilities have undergone significant decline since the Victorian era. No wonder Victorian sleuth Sherlock Holmes is still considered the acme of detective skill, and TV serials trying to transplant him into contemporary London or Manhattan are all the rage.

Darwins theory of natural selection has been proffered as an explanation: post-Victorian advances in medicine and nutrition meant that people with lower IQs could also have more children who survived into adulthood. This is usually celebrated as emphatic proof of civilisation, as is our current drive towards automation which will allegedly make greater convenience and leisure available to humanity. But Woodley et al force us to think about what it means if genes driving intelligence are becoming less common.

Arent worrying signs all around us? Its not just that computers already tell healthcare providers what drugs to prescribe and absolutely nail Super Mario. Its also the ludic loop of the modern work day check email and SMSs, then WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, then repeat and repeat. Rather than getting their news from trusted news brands, people are greatly excited by fake news these days. This business of becoming stupid intuitively feels connected to ducking real challenges, not doing work thats actually difficult. Maybe thats why modern day Da Vincis spend their weekends climbing mountains or running marathons. For them, theres no take it easy policy. Growing up in premodern times required many different skills. A lazier life may be making us dumb and dumber.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Dumber than Darwin: Research shows human intelligence is falling since the 19th century - Times of India (blog)