TOEFL iBT Independent Writing, Technology helps us understand ourselves.

Writing Topic

Consider the following statement. Technology helps us understand ourselves. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

☆Let’s Think

1.      What does “to understand ourselves” mean?

2.      What helps us to understand ourselves?

3.      Does technology help you do it?

Note: To understand ourselves may mean to understand what is a human as well as what kind of person you are. It could also mean what is life and what is important in life.

☆Hints for Points

Agree

1.      Interaction with other people helps us understand ourselves, and technology increases the opportunity to interact with others. For example, by exchanging messages frequently with others, you can learn what kind of persons you and others are.

2.      Watching the world and people leads to understanding of ourselves. Media provide us with abundant information about the world and people. Through the information, we can have insights about what we are. For example, videos show us we humans can be both brave and cowardly, angelic and evil.

3.      Information about life, including homo sapiens, is collected by technology. Thanks to the advancement of technology, we now have very accurate information about the history of the earth and life. Also, AI has shown us not only that we humans are not as smart as we used to think ourselves were but also that we have heart originating from life, not from matter.

4.      Technology helps find individual characteristics. For example, DNA analysis shows you what kind of people you are related to, what kind of property your body has, and whether the risk of your having a particular disease is high or not.

Disagree

1.      Technology deals with matter, the physical side of the world, so understanding of our existence with technology is physical, which might be deceptive.

2.      The smartphone does not tell you what kind of person you really are. There might be some apps that tell you what type of personality you have, but this categorization does not lead to real understanding of yourself. To do it, you have to interact with real people. In the same way, to understand what is human, you have to not only directly interact with other animals to see the difference between humans and animals but also read good books.

3.      Information gained through technology might be distracting us from self-reflection. We think we have understood what we are and seldom try to think about what is life and what we should prioritize in life as human. People in the old days stack with basic values of life and had more fulfilling life than us. Even now, few people who spend more time among people and in nature than with technology become disoriented or commit suicide.

4.      It is not the earthquake predictions but the real great earthquake that makes us realize that we are helpless in the face of the power of nature.

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Main Idea】Technology helps us understand ourselves to some extent, but not to the full.

【Humanity Studies】Technology helps humanities studies.

【Media】Interaction with others through media leads to insights in ourselves.

【Counterargument】Being human made, technology has limits in helping us know who we are, which is important to remember.

【Conclusion】Technology has helped us learn about ourselves a lot, but we cannot be content that we can know everything about ourselves with technology.

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Main Idea】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion】