It has been a pleasure taking this course this past semester. I hate to say it but we have come to an end. Honestly with all the information taught in LIB200, I have to say that I am still more an humanities person. Though I do believe that some technology advances have positive affects on us, I still feel that certain things also lean towards passing a negative toll for human beings.
As mentioned earlier in the semester, certain technology that play a positive role n society are machines that help with surgical operations, lifting tons a waste to be transferred to a different location in order to try help prevent pollution, providing a limb for someone who is handicap, etc. But things that have a negative toll on us are a nuclear bomb, radiation in an area which may cause someone to get cancer and another huge issue that isn't necessarily the technology physically doing damage to us but more financially. If many workers are replaced with robots, that leaves many people unemployed and increases the poverty rate which does not need to go up any higher. If anything, the unemployment rate needs to decrease so there could be many fit individuals who can have a decent living.
Unfortunately like most things in life, there are always good and bad things to it. It's a matter of how something is used and the situation that determines the outcome it will have. Let's see what happens over time with all these new technological advances that continue to rise. I just hope the positive affects out number any negative ones that there might be.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Rosalind Franklin
If it wasn't for Rosalind Franklin, the concept of DNA is something that I honestly think would have not been discovered. She seemed to be a woman that was really dedicated to her work. She was someone that really cared about her research and let nothing get in her way of her studies. I hate to admit that during the time, this brilliant mind was discovering something that got put on the map, society was more of a dominant man thing. Hearing a woman playing a role as a leader in anything was viewed as absurd to the make crowd.
She was taken away from something she managed to spend hours on and got no credit for it. Instead others who acted as if they were in a team with her, used her data for their own benefit and became popular taking all the credit Franklin was suppose to have. To me that is just sick, not only being a female myself but morally that's just wrong for anyone to do to others and completely unethical. It is a shame that all that hard work put into something that became to be so amazing, was congratulated to the man that robbed her idea and she had to sit back and take the mental abuse.
I'm sure there are other scientist currently who spend many hours in the lab and are not recognized for all the work they put into the matter however, I hope they do have the option to speak up and hold on to all the accomplishes they have made and have to not go through what Rosalind Franklin went through. She is someone special who has made an amazing contribution within the science field and without her findings, I'm sure DNA would probably not be the way it is today.
She was taken away from something she managed to spend hours on and got no credit for it. Instead others who acted as if they were in a team with her, used her data for their own benefit and became popular taking all the credit Franklin was suppose to have. To me that is just sick, not only being a female myself but morally that's just wrong for anyone to do to others and completely unethical. It is a shame that all that hard work put into something that became to be so amazing, was congratulated to the man that robbed her idea and she had to sit back and take the mental abuse.
I'm sure there are other scientist currently who spend many hours in the lab and are not recognized for all the work they put into the matter however, I hope they do have the option to speak up and hold on to all the accomplishes they have made and have to not go through what Rosalind Franklin went through. She is someone special who has made an amazing contribution within the science field and without her findings, I'm sure DNA would probably not be the way it is today.
2 Sources Used for Paper
1.http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/03/25/apple-product-refreshes-boost-foxconn-to-record-32b-profit
The above link represents one of the sources that I will be using for my research paper. This article gives a brief incite on a major increase on Apple products in year 2012. As mentioned in this article, due to much criticism on Chinese working wages and working conditions, Foxconn (the company that manufactures these products) are being pressured to improve any necessary changes that have to be made so that Chinese workers can have a healthier setting and satisfying position that pays decent money.
The above link represents one of the sources that I will be using for my research paper. This article gives a brief incite on a major increase on Apple products in year 2012. As mentioned in this article, due to much criticism on Chinese working wages and working conditions, Foxconn (the company that manufactures these products) are being pressured to improve any necessary changes that have to be made so that Chinese workers can have a healthier setting and satisfying position that pays decent money.
. 2.http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jan/25/apple-child-labour-supply
This is another source that I plan on using for my paper. It depicts an investigation that took place based on claims brought about child labor. Despite these unknown allegations, Foxconn had to be investigated to see exactly what has been going on in their factories. For such top notch products, having underage children working is something that seemed to be unbelievable to many and the fact Apple had no clue, was odd.
This is another source that I plan on using for my paper. It depicts an investigation that took place based on claims brought about child labor. Despite these unknown allegations, Foxconn had to be investigated to see exactly what has been going on in their factories. For such top notch products, having underage children working is something that seemed to be unbelievable to many and the fact Apple had no clue, was odd.
Midterm Practice
Suppose we all ran on electricity, how would we really be? Better yet would we still be considered human beings or machines that can actually think and have a mind of its own? How would we all function? Those are questions that come to mind when I hear that robots will once conquer mankind. Indeed robots seem to be extremely intelligent yet what most don't seem to understand, is that if it wasn't us, they would have never been created in the first place so how can they be smarter than us? In "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Phillip K. Dick believes robots will one day surpass humans in intelligence, however I disagree with him. I feel that in order for one to have intelligence, there should be a sense of emotion.
In Dick's graphic novel, he uses a character named Rachael who by the way is an "Android" to show how robots can be "human-like." Throughout the scene, a Bounty Hunter, Rick tries to test Rachael to see if she is really a human or not. He asks her many questions with weird scenario's that would sound crazy to the everyday norm. After answering a question based on something that would be considered unethical, Rick realizes that Rachael is an android. Rachael answers the question with no emotion which gives it away that she isn't human and everything from there on goes in disarray. Yet not human-like, Rachael seems to show that she is confused about what she is and doesn't want to be turned off.
Throughout the rest of the story, by seeing how she reacts, it does make me question in a way if robotic intelligence can surpass how humans thinking but then again, how can that be possible if, we are the creators? They would never have something that we have and that is a natural emotion. If there were even able to have some type of feeling embedded inside them, that means they're programmed therefore, there wouldn't be any natural control center from a "brain" that would be triggered for them to think on their own.
In Dick's graphic novel, he uses a character named Rachael who by the way is an "Android" to show how robots can be "human-like." Throughout the scene, a Bounty Hunter, Rick tries to test Rachael to see if she is really a human or not. He asks her many questions with weird scenario's that would sound crazy to the everyday norm. After answering a question based on something that would be considered unethical, Rick realizes that Rachael is an android. Rachael answers the question with no emotion which gives it away that she isn't human and everything from there on goes in disarray. Yet not human-like, Rachael seems to show that she is confused about what she is and doesn't want to be turned off.
Throughout the rest of the story, by seeing how she reacts, it does make me question in a way if robotic intelligence can surpass how humans thinking but then again, how can that be possible if, we are the creators? They would never have something that we have and that is a natural emotion. If there were even able to have some type of feeling embedded inside them, that means they're programmed therefore, there wouldn't be any natural control center from a "brain" that would be triggered for them to think on their own.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
The Promise and Peril of Robots in Film, TV and Real Life: Friends or Foes?
Imagine having a friend or family member that really isn't human? What?! Is that even possible? Well think about it, don't we often hear when a child says they have an imaginary friend or when they talk to their teddy bears and other toys? Robots might not be so different so I wonder why some don't agree with the possibility of having another entity around that isn't quiet "normal."
It is true to say that robots contribute to a number of tasks that may be beneficial to us. However just like most of the things in this world, there is usually a downside that can also harm us. First take a look at the positive outcomes to having robots around. In some cases, unfortunately there are individuals who are handicap and having a helping hand around would make their lives a lot simpler. Literally, someone who is disabled and lets say doesn't have two legs for whatever reason, may have electronic ones that help them still be able to walk just like everyone else. Someone without arms, may also enjoy fake ones to just to at least experience how it feels to pick something up and hold it. Yeah, its not as if they can really feel it physically like us but they do get the satisfaction of visualizing it mentally. In addition to that, instead of having people work in certain environments under harsh conditions, having a robot or shall I say robots completing the job, may help out and take those risks away from us.
Now on the other hand, I suppose most would say how replacing them with robots may also be harmful because then they lose income. Unfortunately we live in a world that solely revolves around money. It's not easy to get a well paid job here and to top things off, everything is so expensive so people have no choice but to settle for minimum wage occupations in order to survive. Having a robot as friend in this situation would be the least of worries we would have. Society would aim to have them put off the market and of course those individuals who have power to make decisions that we all can't, have something that we all don't have. It goes back to money. These inventors of these robots would have more authority than the majority of us and then you have investors who might agree with saving money. They figure hey, why not have a couple of machines do the work, where they will get inspecting a few times a year instead of holding a hundred employees for the job and paying their wage.
Either way, even with robots, we would need human beings to operate them and make them "who they are" because without us they would never exist themselves. That leads me to another question. If we create them, what if there were to become like us. It is said to determine the main difference between us is that robot's don't can't express emotions. Anything is possible these days, so what would happen if they could?
It is true to say that robots contribute to a number of tasks that may be beneficial to us. However just like most of the things in this world, there is usually a downside that can also harm us. First take a look at the positive outcomes to having robots around. In some cases, unfortunately there are individuals who are handicap and having a helping hand around would make their lives a lot simpler. Literally, someone who is disabled and lets say doesn't have two legs for whatever reason, may have electronic ones that help them still be able to walk just like everyone else. Someone without arms, may also enjoy fake ones to just to at least experience how it feels to pick something up and hold it. Yeah, its not as if they can really feel it physically like us but they do get the satisfaction of visualizing it mentally. In addition to that, instead of having people work in certain environments under harsh conditions, having a robot or shall I say robots completing the job, may help out and take those risks away from us.
Now on the other hand, I suppose most would say how replacing them with robots may also be harmful because then they lose income. Unfortunately we live in a world that solely revolves around money. It's not easy to get a well paid job here and to top things off, everything is so expensive so people have no choice but to settle for minimum wage occupations in order to survive. Having a robot as friend in this situation would be the least of worries we would have. Society would aim to have them put off the market and of course those individuals who have power to make decisions that we all can't, have something that we all don't have. It goes back to money. These inventors of these robots would have more authority than the majority of us and then you have investors who might agree with saving money. They figure hey, why not have a couple of machines do the work, where they will get inspecting a few times a year instead of holding a hundred employees for the job and paying their wage.
Either way, even with robots, we would need human beings to operate them and make them "who they are" because without us they would never exist themselves. That leads me to another question. If we create them, what if there were to become like us. It is said to determine the main difference between us is that robot's don't can't express emotions. Anything is possible these days, so what would happen if they could?
Brainstorming
It is pretty difficult to determine exactly what topic to address. There are so many issues in society that I feel need to be dealt with accordingly with specific measures however, is one voice enough. I can write about anything in this world but am I really making a difference? Or just stating an opinion like everyone else?
Though this may be a controversial idea, one thing that I would like to mention is the fact that almost everyone seems to be hurt by the harmful conditions taking place in China with workers making Apple products. It is sad indeed and disgusting how those people have to suffer daily. Even children are working and these workers getting paid less than a dollar hourly makes no sense when Apple is a billion dollar company. Many state that Apple supporters are cruel yet they have an iPhone or Mac themselves. At the same time I like point out how many individuals sympathies these Chinese workers and criticize Apple for having them work under these conditions yet no one tends to mention how the workers have a mind of their own. What I mean by that is, if these workers know the harmful effects that they have to deal with then why do they continue to work for Foxconn (Company that makes Apple products)? I know I am not one to judge others for any reason what so ever but why doesn't anyone else mention that?
These people can make decisions for themselves and they decide to labor at Foxconn with terrible experiences but stay there. Why don't they just leave it and try finding another occupation elsewhere? It's understandable if a job describes the open position as a great launch that can be beneficial to one's life income wise but then if you see that that is all a lie, then why keep yourself in such a horrific predicament that may put a negative toll in your future?
Though this may be a controversial idea, one thing that I would like to mention is the fact that almost everyone seems to be hurt by the harmful conditions taking place in China with workers making Apple products. It is sad indeed and disgusting how those people have to suffer daily. Even children are working and these workers getting paid less than a dollar hourly makes no sense when Apple is a billion dollar company. Many state that Apple supporters are cruel yet they have an iPhone or Mac themselves. At the same time I like point out how many individuals sympathies these Chinese workers and criticize Apple for having them work under these conditions yet no one tends to mention how the workers have a mind of their own. What I mean by that is, if these workers know the harmful effects that they have to deal with then why do they continue to work for Foxconn (Company that makes Apple products)? I know I am not one to judge others for any reason what so ever but why doesn't anyone else mention that?
These people can make decisions for themselves and they decide to labor at Foxconn with terrible experiences but stay there. Why don't they just leave it and try finding another occupation elsewhere? It's understandable if a job describes the open position as a great launch that can be beneficial to one's life income wise but then if you see that that is all a lie, then why keep yourself in such a horrific predicament that may put a negative toll in your future?
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Does 'Popular Science' Awe Us, Inspire Us or Threaten Us?
Popular Science is not only a term that justify the meanings of what most may believe are the ordinary explanation of what lets say living things are. There are so many distinct applications that are part of today's science. A while back when scientist were still trying to figure out what a cell was, that was an extreme hot topic that some rooted for to be the first to discover it. Now in days, what seems to be so talked about are the modern technologies that fascinate the majority of us.
It is safe to say that, just about everyone experiences a bit of what it feels like to be spoiled. Without our fancy gadgets, I wonder how society would be? Some time ago there weren't even T.V.'s around and now when we look at all the things we have around us, its.'s truly amazing. We do not only have televisions but computers desktops, laptops, iPod's, iPad's, touchscreen phones, etc. The list just keeps going on. The crazy thing about it, is that all of these technologies have evolved over the years and continue to change. I honestly feel that its getting to the point where people are so used to upgrades that they almost yern for what is the new big thing to come out. These changes that occur, half of the time are little adjustments that cost hundreds of dollars and most don't see that. We are currently going through a recession where there are jobless individuals that need the financial income in order to be sheltered but they would actually pay $500 for a new phone but some how cannot find the funds to put up for their rent. It's ridiculous how something that is simply a luxury becomes necessary but what really is important is put aside.
Indeed it is true that without certain devices, its complicated to even think about how a number of us would survive. What I am talking about devices that help perform operations that are merely a bit impossible to complete by the human hand. These such devices do provide a aid in this world but then theres always a down side. The fact that certain toxins such as nuclear weapons can be made are scary. It is such a complicated subject that creates many sicky situations. For some, 'Popular Science' is the only way they can get through their day and I wonder, does that threaten themselves but they are too blind to see that? And does that inspire inventors to continue to generate more products knowing what they majority of the nation expects?
It is safe to say that, just about everyone experiences a bit of what it feels like to be spoiled. Without our fancy gadgets, I wonder how society would be? Some time ago there weren't even T.V.'s around and now when we look at all the things we have around us, its.'s truly amazing. We do not only have televisions but computers desktops, laptops, iPod's, iPad's, touchscreen phones, etc. The list just keeps going on. The crazy thing about it, is that all of these technologies have evolved over the years and continue to change. I honestly feel that its getting to the point where people are so used to upgrades that they almost yern for what is the new big thing to come out. These changes that occur, half of the time are little adjustments that cost hundreds of dollars and most don't see that. We are currently going through a recession where there are jobless individuals that need the financial income in order to be sheltered but they would actually pay $500 for a new phone but some how cannot find the funds to put up for their rent. It's ridiculous how something that is simply a luxury becomes necessary but what really is important is put aside.
Indeed it is true that without certain devices, its complicated to even think about how a number of us would survive. What I am talking about devices that help perform operations that are merely a bit impossible to complete by the human hand. These such devices do provide a aid in this world but then theres always a down side. The fact that certain toxins such as nuclear weapons can be made are scary. It is such a complicated subject that creates many sicky situations. For some, 'Popular Science' is the only way they can get through their day and I wonder, does that threaten themselves but they are too blind to see that? And does that inspire inventors to continue to generate more products knowing what they majority of the nation expects?
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Humanities vs. Science and Technology
HELLO ALL!
Just to give a bit of incite on yours truly, my name is Kristina Negron and I am currently attending LaGuardia Community College as a full time student majoring in Psychology. I am an aspiring Clinical Psychologist who's main goal is to help individuals with mental disorders. Hopefully, if everything goes as plan, it would be an honor to operate within my own facility.
Now to say whether I am an humanities person or science and technology person, is a bit difficult. Honestly, I can say that I might lean more towards the humanities aspect of life however there is till a certain extent where I would vote for science and technology. All three objectives in retrospect have a special connection that shows how they relate to one another. From a humanities perspective, without the philosophy of the creation of humankind, science wouldn't even have been discovered. Then technology just comes in hand as a support system where individuals can express their desires for explorations using advanced needed tools that are constantly evolving over time and becoming more better.
Just to give a bit of incite on yours truly, my name is Kristina Negron and I am currently attending LaGuardia Community College as a full time student majoring in Psychology. I am an aspiring Clinical Psychologist who's main goal is to help individuals with mental disorders. Hopefully, if everything goes as plan, it would be an honor to operate within my own facility.
Now to say whether I am an humanities person or science and technology person, is a bit difficult. Honestly, I can say that I might lean more towards the humanities aspect of life however there is till a certain extent where I would vote for science and technology. All three objectives in retrospect have a special connection that shows how they relate to one another. From a humanities perspective, without the philosophy of the creation of humankind, science wouldn't even have been discovered. Then technology just comes in hand as a support system where individuals can express their desires for explorations using advanced needed tools that are constantly evolving over time and becoming more better.
Monday, March 11, 2013
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