My Concept Map Science, Technology, and Modern Society

1. Week Three

1.1. Nature doesn't disconnect things from the system like humans do.

1.1.1. Plastics are a simple straight forward example of something that humans did that isn't nature and when we are done with the plastic item it is disconnected from the cycle becoming a heap rather than becoming part of a regenerative system.

1.1.1.1. Innovative or disruptive design?

1.1.2. Nature uses regenerative systems that keep things in the system even after their initial use. Decomposition of dead organism.

1.2. Disruptive Design - Learning to create positive social change by having a deep understanding of the systems and disrupting the status-quo to make room for new ideas.

1.2.1. Everything is interconnected in the world. Disconnecting something from a system makes it useless.

1.3. My Use of Technology

1.3.1. Medicine - I am taking medications that have only been around a short while.

1.3.2. Shoe Lift - This is a technology that I allows me to have better overall health. Many technologies have gone into making this single one.

1.3.3. The Post Office - I used for receiving and sending things I want and need.

1.3.3.1. Cool look at this technology used.

1.3.4. Computer - Used for work to connect with people for my job and all over the world. Normally this would have needed to be done in person.

1.3.5. The postal system.

2. Week Six

2.1. You don't need to be an expert to make change in society. Some good ideas that I might apply to my EPP project.

2.2. Ethical research is important. We don't want to hurt the people we are trying to understand and help. Good tool kit of things to keep in mind.

2.2.1. Some of the most vulnerable populations are easily taken advantage of both unintentionally and intentionally.

2.2.1.1. Use of research done unethically that ends up having large benefits to society is a sticky situation. How do we bridge restitution or make amends? Is it ever possible? News article and video about Henrietta Lacks and the law suit being filed by her family.

2.2.2. I plan on doing more research than I have already. I can help by making sure I conduct ethical research and making sure the research I use was obtained ethically.

2.3. Finding ways to apply the scientific method to the type of research I am going to be focusing on is hard. Like suggested in one of the articles from last week you can't rerun the jury situation and expect them to forget what they already heard. I need to look into ways that researchers ensure they are getting good data when it can not be reliably reproduced do to the type of research.

3. Week Eight

3.1. Scientific research and papers are an important way for us to communicate information we have learned to others and to find information on things we need to know without having to reinvent the wheel every time we need to know somethings.

3.2. Being skeptical does not mean doubting evidence that goes against what you want to believe. It means properly examining all evidence before making decisions.

3.2.1. "It's not always easy to be both interesting and accurate, but... it's better than being exciting and wrong." - Maria Konnikova

3.2.1.1. Finding simple ways to educate people on being more savy consumers of data and science might help reduce misinformation.

3.2.2. Simple video on showing how all scientific studies are not created equally and some of the things to look for.

3.2.3. “Be skeptical. But when you get proof, accept proof.” –Michael Specter

3.3. How to read a scientific paper. This is great. While looking for more suggestions and information I found an article that used the SAME list that we read in class!

3.3.1. Reading scientific articles in depth to understand the research and draw our own conclusions is a difficult time consuming skill to learn. I struggled with it and I wanted to do it. I can see how/why the average person does not.

3.3.1.1. Contributes to misinformation? Is there ways to combat this?

3.3.1.1.1. Live in a world of instant responses, demanding more instantly, click-bait works very well. Incentivizes interesting and easy over accurate.

3.3.1.1.2. Simple ways to make learning fun? Can we turn it into a game?

4. Week Eleven

4.1. Artificial Intelligence

4.1.1. Timeline

4.1.1.1. Past

4.1.1.1.1. Industrial Revolution is the biggest comparable change. Productivity went way up however the growth of wages and living standards actually declined from how this boon was handled.

4.1.1.2. Future

4.1.1.2.1. Without correction will deepen inequity, challenge democracy, and divide the world.

4.1.1.2.2. Can we find a way to create equity so everyone can benefit from the progress and advancements rather than a select few? Will we?

4.1.1.2.3. China has been pushing the bounds of AI and technology growth. They collect more data that improves AI than anywhere else in the world. 10 times what the US does.

4.1.1.2.4. Higher dependency on AI in our lives.

4.1.2. Benefits

4.1.2.1. AI have the potential to help us become more creative in how we see and solve problems by 'thinking' outside of the boxes that humans use.

4.1.2.1.1. Alpha Go AI program beat a renown champion at GO 4 to 1. It made a move that no human had ever thought of making before.

4.1.2.1.2. AI can take massive amounts of information to help see patterns that humans could not normally find on their own to help in detecting breast cancer.

4.1.3. Drawback

4.1.3.1. Inequality - The top 1% of earners in the US now owns the vast majority. This graph bothers me because the totals do not equal the full amount and it never says who those people are. The statistic idea they are trying to get across is not new though.

4.1.3.2. Loss of Jobs

4.1.3.2.1. As more automation comes into play more jobs that use to require human labor are being eliminated. Carl Frey did research estimating that 47% of current jobs can be or could be eliminated soon by automation.

4.1.3.3. "Automation is the substitution of capital for labor."

4.2. Housing Issues

4.2.1. The more I read and the more I understand the more I am convinced it is greed based. There is an underlying goal just like with AI. The task most focus on is accumulation of wealth. The biproduct is the harm to the greater society.

4.2.1.1. Change the underlying values? How can I help push towards a massive fundamental way in how people see society and other humans?

4.2.1.1.1. Is this an issue that can be tackled by bringing more people together under a common understanding? Do I really need to rework the components drastically? Maybe it is how they are put together that needs to be outside of the box.

4.2.2. Current Programs or Groups with a Home Ownership Mentality

4.2.2.1. Habitat for Humanity - Todd Cottle

4.2.2.1.1. Connection to the ED

4.2.2.2. Self-Help Section 523 Grants

4.2.2.2.1. Look up more information.

4.2.2.3. CROWN (CRedits-to-OWN) Houses

4.2.2.3.1. Information can be gathered about the program from BRAG - Brian Carver

4.2.2.4. Neighborhood Nonprofit Housing Corporation

4.2.2.4.1. Reach out for contact?

4.2.2.5. BRAG

4.2.2.5.1. Work Here

5. Week One

5.1. Highlights for: "What I know about science, technology, and modern society."

5.1.1. Internet

5.1.1.1. This digital technology dramatically altered society and impacts human interaction, economics and education.

5.1.1.1.1. Lack of access to this technology widens a gap of inequality and enshrines the inequity as a way of life as those without are denied opportunities easily accessible to other.

5.1.1.2. Quick dissemination of information.

5.1.1.2.1. Information accessible easily by many.

5.1.1.2.2. How to stop misinformation?

5.1.1.3. Isolation to to less in person human interaction or more opportunities to interact?

5.1.2. Globalization

5.1.2.1. Ever Changing - Ever Evolving

5.1.3. Medical Advancment

5.1.4. Impacts on Food

5.1.4.1. Plant Breeding and Gene Editing and Genetically Modified Foods

5.1.4.1.1. Learning to Love G.M.O.s

5.1.4.1.2. More food produced due to more resistant, higher yield, and can make many foods more healthy and appealing.

5.1.5. Better technology and research.

5.1.5.1. New drugs and treatments.

5.1.5.1.1. Capitalism and monopolies lead to inflated prices for medicines.

5.1.5.1.2. High prices often lead to preferential treatment to those with money.

5.1.5.1.3. Overall more access to everyone.

5.1.5.2. Longer average lifespan.

5.1.6. Technology Automation

5.1.6.1. Greater amount of goods produced with less labor.

5.1.6.1.1. More people into specialized fields.

5.1.6.1.2. Unequal distribution of automation technology ownership often based on previous wealth.

5.1.6.2. Article Review: Lee JD. Review of a Pivotal Human Factors Article: “Humans and Automation: Use, Misuse, Disuse, Abuse.” Human Factors. 2008;50(3):404-410. doi:10.1518/001872008X288547

5.1.6.2.1. Must log in to USU to download the PDF

6. Week Two

6.1. Technology Creates Technology

6.1.1. A clock is a piece of technology has many moving parts that all were crafted to work together. Each of those parts in the clock required many other pieces of technology to make them. Look at how many pieces of technology used to cut a single gear for a mechanical clock.

6.1.2. Each of the major advancements in technology is intertwined with science and they have in turn impacted society.

6.1.2.1. Science and math lead to the computer. ---> Society built upon that to bring about the personal computer. ---> Without computer we wouldn't have the internet. ---> Internet allows for transmission of information across the world in seconds contributing to globalization.

6.2. Science is awesome. New technology may change issues around the world.

6.2.1. HIber trying to use technology to bring internet access to parts of the world that don't have it. Maybe it can help fix some of the inequality.

6.2.1.1. Who will benefit from this technology expansion? Will it be distributed to everyone in need or will this only benefit those with the most money, power, and influence in these regions?

6.2.2. Nikolaus Otto made an internal combustion engine ---> Automobiles were designed using that technology.

6.2.3. Science can now attach artificial neurons onto silicone chips.

6.2.3.1. "Researchers hope their work could be used in medical implants to treat conditions such as heart failure and Alzheimer’s as it requires so little power."

6.2.3.1.1. Longer and better lives possible for more in members of society.

6.2.4. Smart phone technology calls attention to social issues and may help minorities receive justice for discrimination making their lives unsafe.

6.2.4.1. Drawing attention to an issue may help the issue to get better. Can we ensure it causes people to learn not perpetrators to find more clever ways of concealing?

6.2.4.1.1. Helps stop misinformation at least by telling a more accurate story than hearsay.

7. Week Ten

7.1. The Social Dilemma

7.1.1. Price of Connection via Social Networking

7.1.1.1. Puts us in an echo chamber.

7.1.1.2. Opens us up to manipulation.

7.1.1.3. Reduces real connections of substance for hollow temporary popularlity.

7.1.1.3.1. Increases depression and suicide.

7.1.1.4. Distracts us from things that mater.

7.1.1.5. Monetization of our futures for company profit.

7.1.1.6. Creates a dependancy.

7.1.1.6.1. Article: Gone in Minutes, Out for Hours: Outage Shakes Facebook

7.1.1.6.2. News reporting on the social media outage.

7.1.2. How algorithms work. It doesn't think it or have morals. It is only designed to maximize an output. Is that what we really want happening without regulation?

7.1.3. Little to no regulation is in place to hold these companies of social networking accountable for their actions.

7.1.3.1. People are waking up and trying to change that.

7.1.3.1.1. Article: Facebook bans ads targeting race, sexual orientation and religion.

7.2. Echo Chambers

7.2.1. Can we break the echo chambers? Benefits for all parties come out of collaboration and seeing other points of views.

7.2.1.1. Ideas for breaking out of echo chambers by tricking algorithms and broadening our scope of view.

7.3. Social Networking & Me

7.3.1. It has been years since I have been actively engages in social networking. I have also noticed the more stable my emotions are.

7.3.1.1. Past suicidal ideations influenced by social networking?

7.3.1.2. What are way I can connect with others and form those connections in an environment free of the in-depth manipulation for profit and power?

7.3.2. What ways are there to be effective at a job in macro social work that normally use social media? I don't think I can get out of it all together. Is there a way to help force the platforms I use to be more ethical?