Class Review

This class was one of my favoirtes.  The way it was structured it allowed for open disscussions and free thought.  I learned a lot that I already ready knew but didnt realize.  S & T is stuffed full of inequalities but in my opinion these are everywhere you turn and no matter how hard you try and make them equal for all you unfortunattly will always miss someone.  The advancement of technology will always exclude people simply because of the monetary issues.  The newest and best released idea will always be the top seller.  Even though the poor cannot take part in such expensive technology, the world around them benifits from it which in my views allows for everyone to take advantage of new technology, just not personally and frequenlty. 

For once we had a teacher that can sympahtize with us ie, posting reading on line, no tests.  Some teachers would frown at this but, in class we had more intense conversation than in any other class ans I truly can say I learned and retained more information than in any other class.  In addition the work that we did do connected us to the class and made it easy to understand what was meant by certain lectures.  Overall I really enjoyed this class which is apparent since I enrolled in your class for the spring semester.

Outsourcing

If we look at outsourcing and its effects on the world we will notice that its effects create more good than bad.  The bad effects the USA workers and in turn our economy.  By taken our businesses overseas we are ignoring the needy citizens of this country to save money on labor.  The working class labor force is dwindling due to this recent business practice.  People are losing their jobs and homes and do not know where to turn since most companies have done the same and looked overseas.  This is just one outcome of outsourcing.  This is a negative repercussion that effects the United States first hand.

Somne positive effects are in the areas that the companies have relocated.  These companies have brought jobs to places that would have no other means of work.  Since companies are saving money it would be assumed that the savings could be passed to the consumer by lowering prices of goods.  Companies would save, consumers would save (if they had money to buy goods after losing job), and countries (execpt the US) would gain work.  Yes these companies have a bottom line to worry about but I feel that they should sometimes take a look around and see what is happening outside of the boardrooms and corporate offices.

Technology in classroom

Inequalities in the classroom are more and more apparent since the minimum criteria to obtain a decent paying job is a college education.  The use of new technology in the classroom may make learning and communication easier, but it also may alienate a older generation trying to better themselves by going back to school.  The usage of the internet is something that my generation takes for granted. While growing up during the internet boom we stay current to the new gadgets and applications that come to light.  If disconnected from this technology world like much like an older generation, it becomes much harder to learn the full functionality of the internet.  Schools like ASU have attempted to make their services available through the use of the internet which could pose a problem for those who don’t know where to begin when using it.  The advancement of technology has allowed my generation unprecedented access to information but without the knowledge base to operate the technology the access is useless. 

            Also, when thinking about technology in the classroom, students who are in bad financial situations the convenience of the technology goes unused since the means to acquire it are missing.  Money and technology go hand in hand, which cause those who lack money to lack technology.  This hurdle can make the decision to attend school or even go back very difficult.  Unfortunately the more our lives become dependent and intertwined within technology the wider the gap between the social classes becomes.

reflection 9 nuclear

Nuclear technology is a very important discovery.  Power, energy and weaponry are just a few applications that make nuclear technology so vital to our advancement.  This is a renewable power source that could alleviate the strain on our current power problems.  This power can be placed all over the country and feed into most cities in the United States.  Yes there are different problems that arise from using nuclear technology.  The first concern is the safety of the workers and community that he plant is based in.  This is a foremost concern and as nuclear technology advances so does the security measures that contain it.  No matter how advanced the technology gets there will always be some threat that causes doubt, our job it to be proactive instead of reactive to prevent such mishaps from occurring.  The use of nuclear technology as a weapon is a secondary result from the creation of this advanced technology.  The threat will always be present to use nuclear weapons, what we must do is continually advance technology finding ways to cope with the destructive nature of this weapon.  More importantly we must constantly change our security protocol so that unwanted parties do not get there hands on it.

Global Warming

Global Warming is an immediate concern that can affect the world’s future in drastic ways.  In class Tuesday and Thursday we discussed how using renewable resources is a vital way to reduce the amount of damage that we cause to our planet.  Through the use of political sanctions and rewards programs we can take large strides by targeting those who cause the most harm.  Big business can actually benefit from being environmentally friendly causing a win win situation.  Setting standards and forcing smaller companies to adhere to them will also help to slow radical changes that we have made over the past several hundred years.

            Not only will using renewable resources help slow global warming but it will also aid in our current economic crisis.  With oil and gas prices currently at record highs the exploration of new technology to alleviate the financial strain is just another way that renewable resources can positively impact our society.  Being independent of foreign power is another positive outcome of this proposal.  To become detached from foreign resources could possibly allow the United States an opportunity to step back from being the world’s police and act as more of a binary roll in foreign affairs.

                                 

Reflection 7 DNA

DNA helps us in many different ways.  But in my opinion when using DNA to convict criminals the data gives us black and white answers and asks us to apply the results to a very grey justice system.  The information obtained from DNA testing can be construed to mean different things.  The DNA evidence can not tell you what the intent of the incident was nor can it tell you who the aggressor was.  Yes DNA plays a vital role in our justice system but we rely on it to heavily and place to much importance on the possession of it. 

            On the other hand DNA testing and studying is leading us to some breakthroughs in medicine.  It is said that advances in the prevention and treatment of cancer can be found in our DNA.  Also other treatments for horrible diseases are being investigated hopefully yielding answers to daunting illnesses.  DNA has also aided in the identification of bodies and victims of war.  The World Trade Center disaster is a prime example of how DNA can help families move on and place closure on horrific times.  As well over seas missing combatants can be identified through the use of DNA.

Reflection 5

            In order to create technology we must go through rigorous brainstorming to find different applicable uses.  I feel that some secondary results/uses can not be identified prior to the usage of technology.  This is because we must take into account human nature which is unpredictable.  Some secondary uses for things have proven to be better intended than then the primary thought other have been drastically worse.  The primary use of the internet was to connect governmental offices with to allow the exchange of information.  The secondary resulted allowed millions of users connection as well.   The example of the hammer showed that a simple hammer could have many different secondary uses.  But it’s not just as simple as that, the context in which the hammer is possessed could change the perceived intent which changes the entire situation.

            The activity that we did in class supports that of the idea of the hammer.  There is a certain technology that is being researched but different viewpoints emerge that may not have been foreseen.  These different view points pose important questions and concerns that others might have over looked.  Just like the use of hammer the use of such technology in diverse contexts can drastically change its perception. 

Outline

Chris Dillon

9/28/2006

Jus 494 Science & Technology

 

Research paper outline

 

 

            The main focus of this paper will be how the internet has managed to create unequal access for certain individuals.  The different issues that will be covered will be unequal access, alienation of users, with a focus on secondary results not intended to occur.

            The internet is a vast collection of knowledge that has revolutionized the usage of information networking and retrieval.  Information is at the fingertips of those who own a computer and maintain an ISP (internet service provider).  But what about those that are not as privileged to own.  While making available an infinite collection of data to millions of users, it has also alienated those less fortunate whom do not have the ability to own and/or maintain such a connection.  The phone line is a connection that modern internet users have deemed obsolete but some 3^rd world countries have yet to even use the phone for its primary purpose.  Our libraries have become less needed and thus less funded due to the usage of the internet.  This creates barriers that some children view as to difficult to overcome.  Not only will this paper focus on information as it pertains to children but it will also look at our everyday life to see how reliant we are as a society on the internet and what secondary repercussion could occur if eventually the technology failed. 

            In order to support the idea that the internet excludes people unintentionally or not, this paper must seek empirical data that supports the financial burdens of users which makes it difficult to maintain connection.  As well this paper will seek information that supports ideas that other options are being neglected and making it much more difficult to function without the internet.  Possible interviews will take place to obtain tangible information of daily usage and cost.  The ASU research database will be utilized to find any relatable information useful for particular topic.

            First this paper will give an overview of the internet, how it works, what is needed to use it, and how it has advanced over time.  Then it will discuss how certain areas of the world do not have the proper means to use the internet.  Here the paper will also focus on other options for information networking, i.e. libraries and such.  Following that the paper will look at how we as a society use the internet as a crutch to work through our daily lives, and what the possible outcomes are to life without the internet.  The conclusion will show how our world has inadvertently created information outcasts and internet dependents while addressing some different ideas that focus on creating equilibrium to internet usage.

Reflection 1

I believe that initially technology was intended to bring the different socio and economic classes together.  In addition, its intent was to aid in the training of the “average Joe” for skilled labor.  With the introduction of technology the average worker was much more able bodied than before allowing for a broader range of work that could be accomplished.  The Internet allowed for information and even education to be a fingertip away from citizens whom historically been detached from such privileges. 

Due to consumer demand technology evolved.  The demand to go smaller, faster and more convenient was reflected in the cost alienating the “average Joe” from acquiring the products.  The original intent was for technology to help bring information to all.  Since technology is a business at its core its main goal is to make money.  Unfortunately the advances have caused for the gap to continue.  Once we can get to a point where we all have equal access to technology, only than can we think about the good that technology can bring to bridging the socio economic gaps that are prevalent in today’s society.

Technological Momentum

Technological Momentum has a great impact on society.  As time progress we are becoming products of a society influenced by the creation and evolution of technology.  In the readings Thomas Hughes explains to us that there are two different entities to the understanding of technological momentum.  Not only is technology affecting society but society is guiding the evolution of technology down irreversible pathways.  With the invention of technology our ways of thinking and production of our lives can be forever altered much like the engine did to modern society.  Since the creation of the engine inventions such as trains, planes, and cars have allowed our lives to be expanded to cover vast parts of the world not available to us with just the use of horse and buggies.  This invention has facilitated other invention to be thought up and created to further our dependence on such technology.  If you were to remove the engine from use today production lines would halt, commuters wouldn’t commute, and the world would slow to a crawl.  The use of the engine is essential in the functionality of the world.  This is what is meant by Technological Momentum, the irreversible effects of technology on society.