Question
HAL and Me
1 “Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop?” So the supercomputer HAL pleads with
the implacable astronaut Dave Bowman in a famous and weirdly poignant scene toward the end of
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Bowman, having nearly been sent to a deep-space death by
the malfunctioning machine, is calmly, coldly disconnecting the memory circuits that control its
artificial brain.
“Dave, my mind is going,
” HAL says, forlornly.
“I can feel it. I can feel it.”
1. What is the purpose of paragraphs 3 and 4? How do they relate to paragraph 5?
2. What is the purpose of the analogy at the end of paragraph 5?
3. Philip Davis, the doctoral student quoted in paragraph 8, says,
“I have very little patience for long,
drawn-out, nuanced arguments, even though I accuse others of painting the world too simply.
” Do you
experience similar feelings? Explain.
4. What does Carr mean when he writes,
argues, books become superfluous?” 10
“As soon as you learn to be ‘a skilled hunter’ online, he
5. Reread this sentence: “Calm, focused, undistracted, the linear mind is being pushed aside by a new
kind of mind that wants and needs to take in and dole out information in short, disjointed, often
overlapping bursts—the faster, the better.
” What were some of the human accomplishments of the
“linear mind,
” as Carr describes in a subsequent paragraph? What, in a larger sense, are we giving up in
exchange for the internet’s conveniences?
6. In paragraph 29, Carr describes his “new” mind - altered by years of internet use - as hungry. Why?
Explain this concept by citing evidence from the text.
7. In one sentence, identify the central idea of this chapter.
8. Can you remember a time before you regularly used the internet? If so, explain whether your
thinking was different. If not, explain what it would take for your mind to become more linear (“calm,
focused, undistracted”). Be specific.
1 “Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop?” So the supercomputer HAL pleads with
the implacable astronaut Dave Bowman in a famous and weirdly poignant scene toward the end of
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Bowman, having nearly been sent to a deep-space death by
the malfunctioning machine, is calmly, coldly disconnecting the memory circuits that control its
artificial brain.
“Dave, my mind is going,
” HAL says, forlornly.
“I can feel it. I can feel it.”
1. What is the purpose of paragraphs 3 and 4? How do they relate to paragraph 5?
2. What is the purpose of the analogy at the end of paragraph 5?
3. Philip Davis, the doctoral student quoted in paragraph 8, says,
“I have very little patience for long,
drawn-out, nuanced arguments, even though I accuse others of painting the world too simply.
” Do you
experience similar feelings? Explain.
4. What does Carr mean when he writes,
argues, books become superfluous?” 10
“As soon as you learn to be ‘a skilled hunter’ online, he
5. Reread this sentence: “Calm, focused, undistracted, the linear mind is being pushed aside by a new
kind of mind that wants and needs to take in and dole out information in short, disjointed, often
overlapping bursts—the faster, the better.
” What were some of the human accomplishments of the
“linear mind,
” as Carr describes in a subsequent paragraph? What, in a larger sense, are we giving up in
exchange for the internet’s conveniences?
6. In paragraph 29, Carr describes his “new” mind - altered by years of internet use - as hungry. Why?
Explain this concept by citing evidence from the text.
7. In one sentence, identify the central idea of this chapter.
8. Can you remember a time before you regularly used the internet? If so, explain whether your
thinking was different. If not, explain what it would take for your mind to become more linear (“calm,
focused, undistracted”). Be specific.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Sure! Here are responses to your questions based on the provided context around HAL and the exploration of the impact of the internet on human cognition as discussed by Nicholas Carr:
1. **Purpose of Paragraphs 3 and 4**: Paragraphs 3 and 4 likely serve to illustrate the emotional and existential plight of HAL as it faces disconnection, paralleling human experiences of loss and fear of obsolescence. They relate to paragraph 5 by framing the broader theme of how technology, once a source of aid and intelligence, becomes a source of distress and loss when it fails or is dismantled.
2. **Purpose of the Analogy in Paragraph 5**: The analogy at the end of paragraph 5 likely aims to emphasize the contrast between the capabilities of machines and the intricacies of human thought, highlighting the dangers of over-reliance on technology and the potential decline in human cognitive abilities as people adapt to new, less linear forms of thinking.
3. **Personal Experience with Patience for Arguments**: Similar feelings of impatience towards long, nuanced arguments might arise from the fast-paced nature of internet communication, where concise and direct information is often preferred. This impatience could lead to a tendency to simplify complex issues rather than engaging with their full depth, impacting the way we understand and interact with the world.
4. **Meaning of "Books Become Superfluous"**: When Carr mentions that "as soon as you learn to be ‘a skilled hunter’ online, books become superfluous,” he suggests that the skills developed for navigating the vast, immediate information available online diminish the perceived value of deep reading and critical thought, as individuals rely more on quick access than thorough engagement.
5. **Human Accomplishments of the "Linear Mind"**: Some accomplishments of the "linear mind" include deep comprehension, critical thinking, and the ability to construct and follow complex arguments—skills essential for profound learning and understanding. The larger sense of what we are giving up involves our capacity for deep thought, reflection, and sustained attention, which are essential for creativity and higher-level reasoning, in exchange for convenience and speed offered by the internet.
6. **Carr's "New" Mind as Hungry**: Carr describes his "new" mind as hungry because it craves quick, fragmented pieces of information rather than sustained focus and deep understanding. Evidence of this can be seen in how frequently he checks for updates or feels compelled to consume information rapidly, reflecting a shift from depth to breadth in cognitive engagement.
7. **Central Idea of the Chapter**: The central idea of this chapter revolves around the transformation of human cognition influenced by the internet, depicting a shift from linear, deep thinking to more fragmented, superficial engagement with information.
8. **Experience Before Regular Internet Use**: If I could remember a time before regular internet use, my thinking might have been more linear, allowing for deeper focus on subjects and a greater capacity for reflection. To cultivate a more linear mind in today’s context would require setting specific periods for deep focus without digital distractions, engaging more with books or lengthy texts, and practicing mindfulness techniques to reduce the urge for constant stimulation.
1. **Purpose of Paragraphs 3 and 4**: Paragraphs 3 and 4 likely serve to illustrate the emotional and existential plight of HAL as it faces disconnection, paralleling human experiences of loss and fear of obsolescence. They relate to paragraph 5 by framing the broader theme of how technology, once a source of aid and intelligence, becomes a source of distress and loss when it fails or is dismantled.
2. **Purpose of the Analogy in Paragraph 5**: The analogy at the end of paragraph 5 likely aims to emphasize the contrast between the capabilities of machines and the intricacies of human thought, highlighting the dangers of over-reliance on technology and the potential decline in human cognitive abilities as people adapt to new, less linear forms of thinking.
3. **Personal Experience with Patience for Arguments**: Similar feelings of impatience towards long, nuanced arguments might arise from the fast-paced nature of internet communication, where concise and direct information is often preferred. This impatience could lead to a tendency to simplify complex issues rather than engaging with their full depth, impacting the way we understand and interact with the world.
4. **Meaning of "Books Become Superfluous"**: When Carr mentions that "as soon as you learn to be ‘a skilled hunter’ online, books become superfluous,” he suggests that the skills developed for navigating the vast, immediate information available online diminish the perceived value of deep reading and critical thought, as individuals rely more on quick access than thorough engagement.
5. **Human Accomplishments of the "Linear Mind"**: Some accomplishments of the "linear mind" include deep comprehension, critical thinking, and the ability to construct and follow complex arguments—skills essential for profound learning and understanding. The larger sense of what we are giving up involves our capacity for deep thought, reflection, and sustained attention, which are essential for creativity and higher-level reasoning, in exchange for convenience and speed offered by the internet.
6. **Carr's "New" Mind as Hungry**: Carr describes his "new" mind as hungry because it craves quick, fragmented pieces of information rather than sustained focus and deep understanding. Evidence of this can be seen in how frequently he checks for updates or feels compelled to consume information rapidly, reflecting a shift from depth to breadth in cognitive engagement.
7. **Central Idea of the Chapter**: The central idea of this chapter revolves around the transformation of human cognition influenced by the internet, depicting a shift from linear, deep thinking to more fragmented, superficial engagement with information.
8. **Experience Before Regular Internet Use**: If I could remember a time before regular internet use, my thinking might have been more linear, allowing for deeper focus on subjects and a greater capacity for reflection. To cultivate a more linear mind in today’s context would require setting specific periods for deep focus without digital distractions, engaging more with books or lengthy texts, and practicing mindfulness techniques to reduce the urge for constant stimulation.