Critical Thinking Blog Post#4 The Promise and Peril of Robots (LIB 200)

     Robots have always made for a great science fiction theme but what if the lines between fantasy and reality were to merge? Androids are incredible feets of enginuity and are now becoming ever more realistic in our world. However, as scientist continue to move forward with the development of robots can we really be sure that they will not rebel? In movies such as: "The Terminator" or Blade runner", this particular theme is played with a lot and it leaves the question: is the ever growing development of sentient life good or bad?

     On the youtube clip called: "Amazing Androids", I find it fascinating, how far the development of fully aware androids have come along. They seem so life like, is truly is remarkable. Some answered questions while others responded to touch. It is completely possibly to confuse one for a human. That leads up to the question whether it is safe to continue such development.

     On a different youtube clip called: "Terminator 1 ending", we see the terminator steps out of a blazing inferno, unscathed. An unstoppable and sentient being who's goal is to kill an individual. How can we be certain we won't step into a world similar to the one depicted in the Terminator movies? A dystopian future plunged into a war against machines, a fight to survive. Do we really want to take the the risk of bring to life a new species which could topple humanity both physically and intellectually?

     In my current age and knowing my generation I am positive that most of us don't seem to care much for robots. The rudimentary and convenient  uses of modern day technology is helpful and make life more a breeze but to go as far as to developing. A.I. built bots capable of doing feets us humans can is scary. Both clips show how intelligent robots can be and how life like and human they could become. However, compare to Terminator, the other androids are insignificant, but that doesn't mean it won't eventually be the same. I don't know if robots will have a positive or negative impact on society but I'd rather not find out in case of the latter. 

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment # 7- About a Scientist Life and Work

For this post I decided to write up on Rosalind Franklin. Rosalind was a female scientist who found the design of our DNA (the double helix), that being said, to have her discover something as important as this has really helped scientist understand much more on how this structure is very vital to human genetics. She is quite inspirational not only for being a female scientist during a time when that sort of thing wasn't common and was even possibly looked down on but for the amount of effort she must have put into her work to discover something this important. It is a shame that she did not receive the recognition she deserved for her hard work (during her lifetime) and if anything depicted in the graphic novel were true it would even more upsetting to know that her hard work was all in vain. However, we as a society have become much more reasonable now and we can appreciate what she did for humanity and give her the credit she deserves for her discovery. If I had known about her earlier on during the course I would have loved to write my research paper on her because in all honesty I really find her an incredible woman and it would've been enjoyable for me to write up on her and the controversy surrounding her work.

Critical Thinking Blog for LIB200 - Assignment #5 - Midterm Practice - Brainstorming (with citations)

     When we think of Rachel Eldon, we think of an android that has cross the boundaries of modern day science and has transcended into a humanistic lifestyle, pack with emotions and feelings like the average human. However, Gelernter says that, "The natural correspondence between computer and brain doesn't hold between computer and body. Yet artificial thought will require a software model of the body, in order to produce a good model of emotion, which is necessary to artificial thought."(Gelernter236). In other words, what a computer or android feels, is nothing more but a predetermined cache of ones and zeros which will simulate a reaction according to the type of "emotional" trial the bot is put through. In Rachel's case however,she has no idea that she is among some of the many 'droids who are aware of their dispositions as artificial life. Does this put to question whether or not Rachel is a genuine "conscious" being? I would say yes, Rachel consciousness was not that of fiction but was absolutely genuine from the get go. The graphic novel for Philip K. Dicks, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" on pg. 318, depicts Rachel's dealing with her discovery of being a 'droid. She wallows at the mere thought of her life being a complete lie and remains silent for the remainder of the chapter. How could a robot, even now aware of her disposition react so strangely? She is merely a robot no? No, I believe that Rachel has surpassed her robotic shell and has accepted herself as a human.

    Despite faced with the truth she reacts the way she does.Even if she were in denial, wouldn't that signal some type of emotional stress? Us Humans deny things that won't accept as true because either we know we've done wrong or we won't accept the hard evidence which proves some type of lie we've based our lives around.

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #3

     I've been having a hard time trying to find a scientist to write about. A lot of my searching has been inconclusive, however, I think I may have found a particular scientist I would like to report on. Carl Sagan, was known for his hypothesis of other life on other planets outside of our system. I haven't dug deep enough yet but I find  to be Sagan a promising choice for this paper.

  I have a lot of interest in Astronomy and though a lot of the knowledge that I use to have on the subject is gone now, I still find space intriguing and wondrous. It brings a kind of awe and wonder, we so fondly speak of in class and I want to play on that wonder and awe by researching on Carl Sagan. I hope to find a Graphic Novel I can use, however I was hoping I would still be able to follow up on this idea without the use of a graphic novel and that all other criteria's could be met for this paper. In any event, I definitely have a back up plan.

     Although I love Astronomy and an excuse to get back into it is tempting, if I can't find any other controversial and well known astronomers than I don't mind going for something related to Robots. I am not the biggest science fiction fan. I am still a fan non the less. Though at the moment I have no idea what I want to write about in regards to Robots, I have a few lingering ideas. One idea is to write the paper revolving around the fear of integrating cybernetics with us synthetic beings, a topic that is explored in a video game called: "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" and an anime called: "Ghost in the Shell", which is very cyber punk at best.

    I hope I could get away with some of these ideas for the paper because though I am fully aware of the criteria of the paper, I can't help but want to write about the things I've mentioned. I have a huge interest in writing up on the things that obviously interest me because not only will it make this paper more tolerable but I can pick up a few things from it (I'm sure) and just enjoy writing it up overall. I feel this is most important. I hope to receive some feedback from you, Professor and from anyone else who may have any advice they could lend me or even ideas. 

Critical Thinking Assignment #2 (LIB200)

     I have recently finished a comic series by Vertigo Comics named: "Y: The Last Man". The story follows Yorrick and his monkey (Ampersend) who are the last males for their respected species (Human and Primate) as they are escorted by a government agent assigned with the task of protecting them and a geneticist (who may have something to do with the extinction of all the males), go out to find a cure to this plaque and return males back to the face of the earth. The story seems a bit far fetch'd but I assure you it makes much more sense when you read it all yourself. I recommend giving it a read.

      The comic's take on science comes in the form of Genetics and Cloning. A lot of it revolves mostly around the consequences of taking the role of god and creating things which shouldn't naturally be. The comic pokes at the interference of the natural order of things and what can occur if said order where to be broken (hence the extinction of all males on planet earth). A lot of the science is pretty dumb downed for the readers when it is brought up, however, the comic likes to make use of the more technical terms of the science through dialogue between Allison (The Geneticist) and Yorrick by having Yorrick bewildered by many of Allison's anecdotes and explanations of the occurrences which take place around them and throughout the comic itself.

    The comic leaves me with the fear of affecting the natural world around us and what could possibly happen if it were to be treaded upon for the sake of scientific discovery. I wouldn't necessarily say that what happens in this comic is what would happen if we were to clone another human being but we don't know that until we've tried. I guess it would seem it might be supernatural to think something like in "Y: The Last Man” could occur in reality but there are already many things that have been affected due to human intervention: Global Warming or an article I read about jellyfishes at a harbor outside of Japan rising up out of the ocean and poisoning fishermen catches due to the steady climate changes. Another topic related to all of this was the distinct lack of bees and how they have also slowly been disappearing. I wouldn't call all of this evidence since I don't have the knowledge to back up a lot of it but these claims should suffice to say that there is something going on and we might have some part in it happening. I don't find the advancement of technology and medicine a bad thing but we need to keep in mind how far we can go before we do something we can't possibly foresee. I'm not exactly sure if it’s just over speculation on my part but this is just how I feel about this sort of thing. I wouldn't know if others felt the same way but I do believe they would be capable of seeing it from my point of view. 

     I do believe that science is a disregarded concept now a days compared to days passed and its said to see so little people take interest in it because, regardless of the fear of what might be discovered, it still such a fascinating subject and should be promoted more in schools. However, we see science take a role in media instead of taking a serious and integral part in society. I guess people just want science fiction and not actual occurrences; at least that's how I see it. I don't walk around the school halls hearing people discuss String Theory or the possibility of reviving a Mammoth or the higgs boson, instead I hear about the recent controversy with pop artist and certain shows that played the night before. That's well and understandable but it’s a shame to see people not willing to look towards new ventures they could possibly find might benefit them in some way or might just be really interesting. 

Assignment #1

Hey everyone, Albert here, and today I'll be writing up my first assignment. The topic of which I will be explaining is my stance on Humanities and Science. In other words, where is my standing on both spectrum's and which draws more of my attention.

To be frank, I really like both. In particular I have an interest in Astronomy and since I am a musician I would assume that makes up for the humanistic part of me. I also have an interest is Computer hardware and some of the inner workings (software) and I recently picked up drawing. For the most part, I feel that both are integral to our society. When the professor had mentioned how during the times of the Renaissance, that both worked hand in hand it sort of... I wouldn't say depressed me but it definitely hit a nerve I guess. Reason being is because I can't quite grasp why things can't still be that way. I don't understand why funding's in the arts have to be stripped away and just dumped into anything science related. Now don't get me wrong I don't hate science or anything, however, people would now consider it more of a "productive" means of making ends meat and giving back to our society and disregard the Humanities, especially Art and Music.

 Art and Music was and still is very important to us humans, it held great ties to the unknown, a lot of the awe and wonder which was heavily mentioned in class. That overwhelming feeling of wanting to reach the unknown is what drives us and our dreams. It is what makes us want to go out and touch the stars, makes us want to find a cure of cancer, or whether there is a god or not. To me both need one another in order to push ourselves to greater lengths and to find what we really thought wasn't possible TO find.

Also Music, Art, Reading, going to see a show at a theater or going to watch a movie, is all forms of relieving stress and are great fundamentals which help create bonds between people which develop either into love or friendships, because of the common interests of this particular song or this particular movie. Which is why it is every bit as important as trying to find whether there is other life out in the universe or not.

I know much of this seems a bit biased, I agree, I do seem a bit one sided here and I hope I am elaborating enough to hold a strong argument but something like this is very subjective and is based solely on our values and principles. I hold these feelings very strongly because as a musician, Music is a great big ol' part of my life. I really do need it because it makes me feel as if I am part of something, makes me feel as if I am losing myself to something much greater and beyond that of which a scientist could possibly comprehend, Heck, maybe they know the exact feeling in there own way, but I get off my way as they get off their way.

So all in all, Humanities is important but I also feel Science is definitely a huge part in elevating and moving forward for the better (but not always) of our species.

Hello and Welcome

Hey there, I see you've stumbled on to my blog. My name is Albert Palacios, I am a student at Laguardia Community College majoring in Liberal Arts. I am a musician who has played a few shows here and there, and is currently working on an album with the new group I am in. I hope you enjoy my post and please feel free to give feedback/criticism I welcome both bad and good but please keep it civil and productive.