With a decline in reading is our capacity to think eroding?

<p>Thanks to AI, it's easier than ever to avoid reading books — but that convenience may come with a cost. <em>IDEAS</em> explores how our digital landscape, coupled with the decline of reading, is changing the way we think.<em> *This episode originally aired on Feb. 19, 2026.</em></p><p><br></p><p>If you like this episode, <a href="https://app.magellan.ai/listen_links/icF5ff" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>listen to our podcast with Geoffrey Hinton</strong></a>, the 'godfather of artificial intelligence' who says AI must develop empathy and 'maternal instincts' or we risk human extinction.</p><p><br></p><p>Guests in this episode:</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Adriaan Van der Weel </strong>is a professor emeritus by special appointment at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society. He's also the co-author of <em>The Ljubljana Manifesto on Higher-Level Reading.</em></p><p><br></p><p>Maryanne Wolf is director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and S...