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> Historical Analogies I want to add another one to the author's list, which I think is even more relevant: Writing. Story goes, the Celtic druids relied on

> Historical Analogies I want to add another one to the author's list, which I think is even more relevant: Writing. Story goes, the Celtic druids relied on oral tradition and rejected writing, because they figured relying on writing was a crutch that made them weaker. They're gone now and, because of that choice, most of their culture with them. Like Assembly to C to Python, as the author points out, LLMs allow us to move up the ladder of abstraction. There are obvious downsides to this, but I expect the evolution is inevitable. The complaints about that evolution are also inevitable. We lose control, and expertise is less valued. We experts stand to lose a lot, especially if we clutch to the old ways. We're in the midst of a sea-change, we know what we're losing, but we're not sure what we're gaining.

PessimalDecimal 1y ago
> Story goes, the Celtic druids relied on oral tradition and rejected writing, because they figured relying on writing was a crutch that made them weaker. They're gone now and, because of that choice, most of their culture with them. Can you help me complete this analogy? By failing to rely on "writing" (read: LLMs), what will fail to be recorded and therefore remembered? Is the idea that if knowledge isn't encompassed by an LLM, in the future it will be inaccessible to anyone?
- NewsaHackO 1y ago
  Sure! I am not the OP, but it seems like the analogy is how being a Luddite and refusing to integrate modern tools leads to being left behind and becoming irrelevant. Another more contemporary example: when intravascular techniques were first being developed, many CT surgeons felt as though those procedures were beneath them and gladly let cardiologists take point for those while they continued to do open procedures. Because of this, they lost a lot of ground in billable procedures, and it negatively affected compensation and demand for CT surgeons. Now, cardiologists can do some minimally invasive valve repairs and ASD closures, which will continue to take business away from CT surgeons. If you refuse to adapt to new technologies, you will be left behind.

PessimalDecimal 1y ago

> Story goes, the Celtic druids relied on oral tradition and rejected writing, because they figured relying on writing was a crutch that made them weaker. They're gone now and, because of that choice, most of their culture with them. Can you help me complete this analogy? By failing to rely on "writing" (read: LLMs), what will fail to be recorded and therefore remembered? Is the idea that if knowledge isn't encompassed by an LLM, in the future it will be inaccessible to anyone?

NewsaHackO 1y ago
Sure! I am not the OP, but it seems like the analogy is how being a Luddite and refusing to integrate modern tools leads to being left behind and becoming irrelevant. Another more contemporary example: when intravascular techniques were first being developed, many CT surgeons felt as though those procedures were beneath them and gladly let cardiologists take point for those while they continued to do open procedures. Because of this, they lost a lot of ground in billable procedures, and it negatively affected compensation and demand for CT surgeons. Now, cardiologists can do some minimally invasive valve repairs and ASD closures, which will continue to take business away from CT surgeons. If you refuse to adapt to new technologies, you will be left behind.