Assignment # 9

My thinking has been changed about science and humanities after writing research paper in this class. Not only this, I had learned a lot new things, which could help me to understand much better variety of the new technology. The prospect of science and technology is enormous. One of the recent and most wonderful gifts of science to humans is the Computer.  Since, in the beginning, I was both science and humanities person but now, I am more than before science and humanity person. This course taught me various aspect of science. Such as Rachel, Robots and my research paper which is New Computers vs. E-waste! My research paper taught me new things about e-waste. I was never aware of e-waste dumping style. I never know what people should do with their old things instead of dumping in the garbage. How pollution is effecting day by day.  After done with my paper, I learned that this would surely help our world to become a better place to live in. Recycling, bio-waste generation, e-garbage and increasing awareness will make this world pollution free. Moreover, I learned in this course, that how robotic technology reduces human effort and executes the functions of human with higher efficiency, it must always be remembered that they cannot be completely humanized. Whatever technological advancement may occur, Philip’s futuristic society with humanized robots will remain just a fiction. Robots are not able to dream nor have any emotions. Robots could be helpful for humans but they do not have real consciousness like humans. Again Science changes every day with new technology to awe people. I love this class and thanks to Professor Dragan, who try to make this course more interesting and convinced our thinking to think about whether i am science or humanity person. And i find my answer, which is YES!!! I am both!!!

Assignment # 8

**What are the responsibilities of scientists? Should scientific progress always go forward even if there can be consequences that most of us do not want, and that may be dangerous for all of us?

The responsibilities of a scientist are well known by all. Scientist do indeed awe us, but unfourtunately they  threaten us with new inventions such as nuclear bombs and the latest weapons. I believe, they should create things that are beneficial for the world so that people would not have to face any types of problems in these days. One example could be in  regards to natural destructions of the world. Scientists could learn how to control and prevent a tsunami. This could prevent the world from such disasters. Moreover, e-waste, due to pollution, viruses and infections are spreading everywhere in the world. Many people are suffering from diseases. Scientists must work hard to make new medicine to relieve people from the diseases. They can also create some technology such as helpful machines so people could work instead of being unemployed. Scientist should make such things instead of weapons because science has been already progressed a lot on weapons. There are enough weapons to kill someone. For example, Robert Oppenheimer’s work in building an atomic bomb brought about the Cold War, and even today, we are afraid of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. Terrorist are the greatest enemies of the world. They don’t think before killing innocent people to complete their accomplishment. Scientist shouldn’t make anymore weapons contributing to this dilemma. It’s enough! And for e-waste, scientist should make some kind of techniques to wash out the pollution and people could relieve from new diseases. In addition, scientist are the second God, whom public could believe easily in every aspect of life. So, scientist shouldn’t break their trust while contributing with terrorist.

Assignment # 7

**What was the significance for the way we live now (for technological or scientific advances) based on the contribution or discoveries of your chosen scientist? What does the life story or biography of this scientist teach us today about what it takes to do successful science? (What challenges or obstacles did this scientist have to overcome?What does his or her struggle teach us today? Were the achievements of this scientist recognized in his or her lifetime? If not, why not? Did this scientist’s work inspire us, give us a sense of wonder, threaten us or does it give us some combination of these ideas?

Answer-

Did he have doubts regarding the effects on the nuclear bomb? Did he even have an iota of guilt? Even if he did write against it in 1946, the deed was done and thousands of people and their generations to come had become its victims. This story of the life of Robert Oppenheimer serves as a lesson to the present day students and   scientists. It warns them against the excessive use of weaponry and its ill effects.

In 1941 Oppenheimer was assigned the atomic bomb project. His first task was to calculate the critical mass of uranium-235, i.e. the amount of uranium needed to sustain a chain reaction. He continued his research and succeeded. The atomic bomb was finally dropped on cities in Japan with a far reaching and extremely negative outcome.

When the war ended, Robert Oppenheimer came to be known as the as the "father of the A-bomb,” He said, "the physicists have known sin, and this is a knowledge which they cannot lose", revealing his guilt. His political past and his caution on the hydrogen bomb finally had terrible results on his career. In 1953, the Atomic Energy Commission suspended his security clearance.

The work of this scientist inspires us for his intelligence and we wonder whether his obnoxiously violent invention was really worth it? However, this is threatening weapon to innocent public by terrorist or by countries enemy. This shouldn’t be happening. This weapons and bombs create a lot of trouble. In my opinion, I don’t think, nuclear weapons and ak-47 guns should be built by scientist anymore and stop making new inventions on this. People don’t need any weapons anymore. People need to live in peace onwards.

Assignment # 6

New Computers vs. E-waste

Technology is fast changing and awful to audience. The electronic advancements are bringing new computers in our markets. These new devices are fast paced and are objects of desire. From desk tops, lap-tops, and palm-tops to blackberries - the list is endless. Now the high-tech mobile phones are making the computers look old-fashioned. People look upon them as status symbols. The faster the technology, the more advanced they themselves feel. People are using these tools to race against time. Unfortunately, the e-waste that is gathering world-wide is getting unmanageable. The disastrous elements that they emit are major health hazards. The developed nations are exporting the e-waste to the developing nations due to cheap labor cost for recycling it. The result is that the developing nations are further deteriorating unknowingly.

1)      Yang, Wanhua. “Regulating Electrical and Electronic Wastes in China”.Review of European   

         Community & International Environmental Law; Vol. 17.3(2008):337-346.

੨)LexisNexis(Magazine Article via LaGuardia Library<web.lexis-nexis.com/universe>)

John Hillkirk. “'1939s: Tech's watershed year; Year.” USA Today: 1 December, 1989: 1b. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 14 May 2011. 

I took this source into LaGuardia Liabrary database, Academic search complete. This source was best to my reseach paper because this link gives me alot of information regarding my paper. I find this article very helpful. This article is about how china dispose their e-watse and how china government managed this e-waste.

Assignment # 5

          Technology has improved by leaps and bounds and what were once considered fictional possibilities are part of the reality today. Robots are no more a play tool for a few scientists but a widely applied technology for most people. Even though the people were initially skeptical about the robot, they have gradually accepted it as a part of life. The latest advent in robotic technology is the humanization of robots which has caused them to overtake humans in many aspects. However, robotic technology has come under the scanner and has been criticized by many, as it surpasses human intelligence. Ray Kurzweil in his book, “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology "predicts that "robots will eclipse or surpass human intelligence". I agree with Ray's prediction but I believe that robots are designed to serve humanity, not to lead them. While robots can assist people in their efforts, they cannot be designed to replace the presence of human beings. Rachel and the other androids may be robots of high intelligence and capable of manipulation, but they are not capable of possessing human emotions.

            Science has been instrumental in our lives today and thus, the development of science playing a crucial role in human progress. Ray Kurzweil has taken this progress ahead by transporting us into a world of robots with non-biological intelligence that would function several times faster and accurately as compared to real human brains. On the other hand, “Dream Logic” puts emphasis upon the importance of thought or the thinker, and artificial thought phenomenon and the state of consciousness. Rationality plays a vital role in decision making which has gained prominence in between human and machine thought.  Artificial Intelligence is interwoven by the threads of science and technology. This is an extremely creative field involving human and technical marvel that assists human beings in all domains with consistent efficiency. It is inevitable that technology has made our brain efficient in some spheres of working but it has not made any impact on our emotions. David Gelernter says “No computer will be able to think like a man unless it can free associate” (Gelernter 259). We still have the human feelings of love, hatred, loneliness, and desires but the robots made from our technology lack all these basic feelings hence David summarizes, “today’s mainstream ideas about human and artificial thought lead nowhere”. (pg 260). The truth still stands that we need human brains to feel and be a Human!

Assignment # 4

The Promise and Peril of Robots in Film, TV and Real Life: Friends or Foes?

I saw the movie Saw 3D and Indian movie Love Story 2050. This movie was awesome and in this movie a Robot with human characteristics is very interesting to me because in the middle of the love story 2050 movie, the robot was so helpful to humans. In this movie, it shows that how 2050 will look like in the future. Robots are working as a human doing. Also, Robot was cutting vegetables and fruits as a human were doing. They are even helping in their business work. Robot was being helper for humans. They were second hand of humans. Not only this, they also helping technology to expand further. Theoretically, it was like a memory chip. However, the difference in Humans and Robots is that they don’t have emotions and do not interfere in anyone business. They just mind their own work. But humans can’t control on their behavior. Humans have different types of characteristics but Robots have same features. Similarly, Robots are also helpful in the medical field of humans. Nevertheless, Robots can’t be humans. They are machines, which could be defect at any time without informing such as like humans could have some kind of disease or symptoms to know what’s wrong with the health but Robots could end up suddenly like death. And it will create more e-waste to the nation.  This kind of technology will distract many people and lead to expire. I ask general question to all, Are we ready to end the nation with machines so later on, it will effect to e-waste. Thus, Safe people life not to create new technology but to improve human’s life with less machines. So, people won’t lead to unemployed.

Assignment # 3

For my Lib 200 research paper, I have two ideas in mine for the topic. One idea I have in mind is the Science and Technology: Promise and Peril category. I would like to explore the promise of new computers vs. the problem of e-waste.  For as long as I can remember, I have always relied on computers and technology for information, entertainment, and communication. So, I feel it would be very important to research the promise of new computers because I have grown up in a technologically savvy era where computer use is an everyday occurrence.  There’s also a negative side to advances in computers and technology.  Every time a new computer, or gadget of some sort makes it to the market, the older and obsolete versions of them are discarded into the fields of other countries.  This causes hazardous conditions and young children are put to work sorting through the e-waste. 
This is sad but unfortunately a reality.  I’d like to do some thorough research on this topic and encourage myself and others to refrain from purchasing unneeded technology.

My other idea for this research paper comes from the same category –Science and Technology: Promise and Peril.  It is the promise of artificial intelligence and /or robots vs. the dangers/problems for loss of labor and etc.   It is true that robots can be helpful in medicine.  However, this will cause layoffs for many people in this field.  Not only this, robots are dangerous to human beings as well because this will cause a major dependence on robots.  For instance, humans will lose major skills such as manual labor.  Humans will not be in as good health because they will be relying on robots to physically take on their tasks.  It is becoming obvious that we will soon be living in a world side by side with robots, so I definitely would like to explore this topic more.