Critical Thinking Blog # 6

    

      I'm writing about the promise and peril about science and technology on robots and automation in the

 industries. Also, how these robots are taking human workers' place which cause them to loss their jobs.
      I found an article on LexisNexis called “Robots Rescue Small Firms from Labor  Woes” by takehiro Fukuda, he points out that small companies are replacing robots with human workers. The author said that, “Because the factory has been totally automated with advanced robots, the firm no longer has to employ expensive skilled labor… without robots, small companies like mine would not be able to survive…” (Fukuda). In this quote, the author explains that in the little companies like his, the owner would like to use robots instead of skilled labors. Also, he points out that each robot costs Y5 million and “according to small company owners, foreigners’ wages have appreciated recently to as high as Y1,600 per hour. That means if a foreigner works 10 hours a day, 22 days a month, the labor cost comes to Y4 million” (Fukuda). Here, Fukuda explains that to hire a non-Japanese worker is much expensive than owners to buy a machine robot. This article fits my topic well because it talks about how human workers are replaced by robots.

Another article that I found in the LexisNexis is  “Robots: Next Step for Garment Makers” by Dow Jones, it talks about how machine robots work in the garments. The author said that “In Japan, government planners foresee bolts of fabric entering one end of a robot assembly line and emerging at the end as finished men’s business suits—all done with a minimum of human assistance” (Jones). In this quote, the author explains that machine robots take the most parts of the work when they are making men’s business suits and there are very few parts where human workers do. Also, the author mentions that “Down the line, a robot would pick up a half-finished suit and put it on a mannequin; robots with sewing-machine arms would reach over and sew on sleeves and collars; other robots would inspect the suit and send it to be shipped” (Jones). In this passage we see that machines can do many things that human could do. Also, in this article it related to my topic.

Blog Post #5- Midterm Practice

                                                           Prompt #2
              
          I disagree that Darwinism always opposes humanistic like altruism and generosity. I believe that humans are born with generous and would be happy to help others. I know that it would be hard for people to be altruists when they have to be sacrificed themselves to save others. The two texts that show humans are altruistic are "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins and "Us or Me" by Ian McEwan.

          Dawkins points out that selfish genes do show up when people try to save others and that humans are selfish sometimes. However, the author says that a selfish gene does not always fail when it sees the copy of itself in other bodies. Also, it would appear and tries to help the ones who are its kins. Moreover, Dawkins explains that when it meets the requirrement which a selfish gene could save more than two or more families. Then it eould sacrifice itself to rescue others.

          McEwan shows human's altruistic traits through a story about six men try to help and rescue a ten  year old boy in a hot air balloon. McEwan states that it's nature for people to think about themselves first. Even though the five men try really hard to save the boy, but their hearts tell them to give up. However, those men all show their altruisms at the beginning when someone callled for help. When they first see the dilemma, he lending a hand instead of just standing there and watching.

Blog Post #4- The Promise and Peril of Robots in Film, TV and Real Life: Friends or Foes?

          Robots can do what humans can do and many of them can even do something that humans can't do by our hands. Robots are very useful in some industry areas now and they help people to move many heavy subjects like cars. In the movie "Robot I", those robots are helping and obeying anything that humans tell them to do. However, at the end, the robots start having their own thoughts and want to destroy human societies. The robots are killing people and out of control.

          In this movie, we can see that robots can be our friends. However, they are very dangerous when they starting to have their thoughts. Fortunally, this is a movie, but what if robots are also having their thoughts in the real world? Then it would be periled. The humans' world would be controlled and distroyed by robots. Moreover, robots are so strong that they couldn't be killed easily. They could kill us even just by squeezing us.

          However, robots have become acceptable to most people today. People think that robots are just machines that are impossible to have their thoughts. Also, scientists state that robots' minds would only be controlled by humans and they would only do the things that humans tell them to.

Blog Post #3-- Research Paper "Milestones"

       After I looked at five possible ideas for research paper, the two ideas that interested me are the reseach paper idea #2- Science and Technology: Promise and Peril and the research paper idea #4- Popular Science: Bridging the Two Cultures.
      
       Some ideas that interested me in the topic of Science and Technology: Promise and Peril are how science and technology can help or entertain us, but also, they can danger us at the same time. Also, how people rely on science and technology alot nowadays. However, these technologies can harm people in centain ways.

       The idea that interested me in the topic of Popular Science: Bridging the Two Cultures is sciences vs. humanities. It's very interesting that sometimes sciences tell us, humans who are suppose to be humanistic to do something anti-humanities. For example, selfish genes in human bodies tell people to think about themselves first at any circumstances.

        I believe I would like to write my research paper for the idea of Science and Technology: Promise and Peril. I would write some materials that are focusing on centain topics. For example, the promise of Artifical Intelligence and/or robots vs. the dangers/problems.

Blog Assignment #2

     Nowadays there are many 'Popular Science' movies, TV and books. The one I liked a lot is the movie "Underdog". In the movie, there is a mad scientist who collects different protein and DNA from different animals and he injects the combine DNA into dogs bodies, which make them run like panther and fly like eagle. So, the mad scientist controls some evil super dogs and tells them to overtake the government for him. Then there comes a good super dog that saved the society.

       The science and technology in this movie awe us by how those chemicals can make a dog fly like this. It is cool to see animals act with super power, for example, talking to human! However, imagine if this is really happening in the real world, it is definitely threatening us. If any kinds of animal can have super power to do anything they want, then they would take over the whole world. Then it would be “animal’s kingdom” instead of “human’s society”.

Yan Chen's Critical Thinking Blog

        Hi, my name is Yan Chen, and I'm currently major in Liberal Arts: Social Science and Humanities. My career plans are to change my major to Early Childhood Education when I go to my four year college. Also, I want to become as a Pre-K. or K. teacher.
        I believe I am more like a humanities person. I liked the humanities courses very much, for example, Art and Music. I think most people like these courses too, because Art and Music are the basic needs in people's lives. On the other hand, I am not really a science person, because I don't like any science course and I don't understand them.
        I think most people in the united States today feel positive about technology. For example, many people can't live without their phones, computers and video games. These products are the essential things and entertainments in people's daily life.