Back to the Future

Does it feel like we are living in the upside-down? Yep.
We’ve drifted so far from fundamental reality that it seems like a mass unconscious experience.
Historically, human expertise is learning.
So, what happened to human cognition?
Some researchers attribute a cognitive cost to the daily use of generative AI.
Others reveal tailwinds farther than the proliferation of AI.
What is the current collective learning experience?

First, go back to classical education.

Classical education, or early human learning, prioritised the seven liberal arts and sciences.

Three subjects focused on language and critical thinking: The Trivium. The other four subjects emphasised mathematical and scientific principles: The Quadrivium.

The Trivium

Grammar: The study of language structure and usage.
Rhetoric: The art of effective speaking and writing.
Logic: The principles of reasoning and argumentation.

The Quadrivium

Arithmetic: The study of numbers and basic mathematical operations.
Geometry: The study of shapes, sizes, and the properties of space.
Music: The study of sound, harmony, and mathematical relationships in music.
Astronomy: The study of celestial bodies and the universe.

Along the way, these primary subjects declined in priority. It impacted the ability to think critically, value language structure and its power, and to effectively reason. Moreover, it is often comedic, esoteric, or woo-woo to articulate awareness of universality, spatially or quite literally- chemically- proving your existence is atomic, as each particle surrounding you. Hence, discovering what it means to be human.

In an era of generative AI, a command of the English language and its use will determine accessibility and user effectiveness. This new natural programming language will require getting back to basics.

Examine human cognition. Do you see what happened?

References:

Back to Basics - Sun, Nov 16, 2025

Back to the Future

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