Digital technology is ubiquitous.
Indeed, these are important cognitive skills.
However, fears that technology would supplant cognition may not be well founded.
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That brings us to the second reason why this quote is interesting.
Despite Socrates concerns, many of us are still able to commit information to memory when necessary.
Technology has simply reduced the need for certain cognitive functions, not our ability to execute them.
Upon scrutiny of these assertions, however, one notices two important argumentative assumptions.
The first assumption is that the impact has a lasting effect on long-term cognitive abilities.
The second assumption is that digital technology has a direct, unmoderated impact on cognition.
Both assumptions, however, are not directly supported by empirical findings.
A critical examination of the evidence suggests that the demonstrated effects have been temporary, not long-term.
On the other hand, they remembered the information better when they were told it would not be saved.
As such it would be hasty to conclude that technology impairs our ability to remember.
Indeed,cognitive processes operate in the context of goals for which our motivations may vary.
Specifically, the more motivating a task is, the more engaged and focused we are.
This in turn means that we can accomplish more, cognitively speaking, than we ever could before.
As such, digital technology need not to be viewed as competing with our internal cognitive process.
Instead, it complements cognition by extending our ability to get things done.
