What if Writing Isn’t Central to Thinking?

Dr. Cruz is the chair of the philosophy department and the program in cognitive science at Williams College.

Most college professors I know believe that students learn to think — critically, creatively, reflectively, tenaciously — only by writing. At Williams College, where I am a professor, writing skills are among the very few general education requirements.

It’s no surprise, then, that universities see artificial intelligence as an existential threat, and have launched an arms race of countermeasures: more proctored essay exams; test-taking rooms shielded from the internet; requirements that essays be........

© The New York Times