Before I take this course, I have no idea what is cyborg. Cyborg is a human or machine? As the technology develops well nowadays, technology makes our live become more convenient. At the same time, technology also brings us so many problems.
During the course, I learn so much about the gender issue and the technology problem around us. It is a great opportunity for me to learn about these things. The course make me feeling that everything are not simple such as Facebook. When we are using it, we think that the program is very simple and user friendly. However, the fact is that it is very complicated actually and there are so many problem appear. Another example is the e-money and the credit card. These
technologies bring us a lot of conveniences,but it also bring us so many problems.
Also, I have watched so many movies about the robot. Before I take this course, I will not think why the robot can talk, walk even do anything they want just like human. The look of the robot are also according to the sharp of the human. After this course, everytime I watch this type of movie, I will think it deeply. I also learn the importance of the technology. The technology will affect our internet life or even our real life. The relationship between us and the technology is becoming closer and closer.
After the whole course, I really think that this course is very interesting and meaningful. I learn a lot from it and I would love to explore more in the coming day.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose – Anna Ng
About the blog
I have written blogs for a few years. And this time, using the same blog with classmates is a new experience for me. This blog is a good platform for us to share our works. There are millions of resources in the internet; it is hard for one people to read and pick out many of them. By posting our own webliography, we can read more useful articles on that related topic in an easier and faster way.
Moreover, this blog provides a chance for us to share our opinions. As this subject does not have any correct and wrong answers, answers are mostly depends on the directions that we think of and the ways that we explain. Reading others’ newstory reflection in the blog can make me know how others and I interpret same news differently and train me to think in a more multi-direction way.
In addition, since I am too shy to voice out my own opinion in the lesson, I seldom join the discussion. This blog becomes a medium for me to have a discussion with classmates by leaving comments to their presentation. I can get rid of others’ view and speak my mind without reticence.
About Self.net
At the beginning of this semester, I have completely no idea of the things that this subject talks about. Cyborg? Post-human? Identity? These are all fuzzy concepts and I would not put much concern to them. Later on, I found these concepts are important to us in living in this society. Taking Identity as an example, it seems is an abstract concept to understand. It includes gender, sexualities, race and class; and these greatly influence the way that we constructed ourselves in this society.
Throughout this course, the thing which mostly goes deep inside my mind is the example of Jennicam. I have never thought of this case can be used to redefine the identity of women nowadays; and even break the relationship of gazer and the one is gazed. The subjectivity of cyborg in this case is a very interesting concept. In our common sense, we may just think that Jenni was passive to do anything; but the fact is she is also able to control everything.
About Cyborg
After studying this course, I have no doubt that I am a cyborg! I am sure that many people like me, cannot live without technical devices, like computers and mobile phones. After having my first technological product, my passion towards it never reduces. And now, I owned quite a number of these products. Technology slowly infuses in my life. Sometimes, I introspect if I too dependent upon the technology. I always tell myself not to rely on it; however, I failed to do so.
Frankly speaking, the improvement in technology brings us side effects. It greatly affects our mode of communication. Face-to-face communication becomes meaningless in our life. We neglect the importance of non-verbal communication. The relationships of people become cold and detached.
I have written blogs for a few years. And this time, using the same blog with classmates is a new experience for me. This blog is a good platform for us to share our works. There are millions of resources in the internet; it is hard for one people to read and pick out many of them. By posting our own webliography, we can read more useful articles on that related topic in an easier and faster way.
Moreover, this blog provides a chance for us to share our opinions. As this subject does not have any correct and wrong answers, answers are mostly depends on the directions that we think of and the ways that we explain. Reading others’ newstory reflection in the blog can make me know how others and I interpret same news differently and train me to think in a more multi-direction way.
In addition, since I am too shy to voice out my own opinion in the lesson, I seldom join the discussion. This blog becomes a medium for me to have a discussion with classmates by leaving comments to their presentation. I can get rid of others’ view and speak my mind without reticence.
About Self.net
At the beginning of this semester, I have completely no idea of the things that this subject talks about. Cyborg? Post-human? Identity? These are all fuzzy concepts and I would not put much concern to them. Later on, I found these concepts are important to us in living in this society. Taking Identity as an example, it seems is an abstract concept to understand. It includes gender, sexualities, race and class; and these greatly influence the way that we constructed ourselves in this society.
Throughout this course, the thing which mostly goes deep inside my mind is the example of Jennicam. I have never thought of this case can be used to redefine the identity of women nowadays; and even break the relationship of gazer and the one is gazed. The subjectivity of cyborg in this case is a very interesting concept. In our common sense, we may just think that Jenni was passive to do anything; but the fact is she is also able to control everything.
About Cyborg
After studying this course, I have no doubt that I am a cyborg! I am sure that many people like me, cannot live without technical devices, like computers and mobile phones. After having my first technological product, my passion towards it never reduces. And now, I owned quite a number of these products. Technology slowly infuses in my life. Sometimes, I introspect if I too dependent upon the technology. I always tell myself not to rely on it; however, I failed to do so.
Frankly speaking, the improvement in technology brings us side effects. It greatly affects our mode of communication. Face-to-face communication becomes meaningless in our life. We neglect the importance of non-verbal communication. The relationships of people become cold and detached.
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose - Tang Lok Sum (Audrey)
Honestly, when I touched with this subject at the first day, I really feel confused about it because the content seems too far away from me or even the definition of cyborg is also debatable. However, after this course and I find that it’s matter and very personal concern of us, and it do so makes the meaning of the word - "Human", has changed because of the technology.
After 12 weeks of courses, I have been from full of doubts till now that I can determine I am a cyborg. Although there is no mechanical on my body which something to keep me alive (Glasses is it?), but I am sure that I can not live without science and technology, I can not imagine if i have no mobile phone, computer or television. Also, as people should keep on learning, if have not the assistant of technology, and I can not connect with the outside world, I would like to believe that my life will be very generic taste and bring a lot of inconvenience, because I am live in an "advanced information" generation and the environment now. If I don't absorb the informations, I would find out how "fall behind" I am or even have much less topical subject with my friends, and it's a part of me.
I just had a blog and kept track of personal life before, and now, this is my first time using the weblog to hand in the homework and have a interactive learning with classmates. I find that it is interesting, like a database here, I can always find the information which I want or receive more knowledge of this subject. With the summary of each present group of students, it is very useful with the comprehensive and summary of each topic, through the classmates comments from the weblog and answer their questions by myself, those can makes me understanding better of it. However, if the individual's homework, such as comment on the introductory post, it would be better and more interactive intensively.
This is a challenging subject, but can help me to aware more of our identity in the technological environment, in particular, the sexualities, gender, race and so on. It makes me bring up the few questions, what and how the evolution of it, why the development of current generation is can not live without technology? Is it because the people are too smart to manufacturing the technology, or technology makes people to be more intelligent? What is the boundary between human and machine? I just want to say, I hope that the technology can bring more comfortable and convenient for human’s life, especially the aspect of use in medicine, and I hope that the people could have self-control ability appropriately. To me, how can I live without the technology less and less more? Maybe I can, when I am old, in retirement, and living in a place where is pollution-free and away from the city.
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose - Man Ka Po Bobo
When I first saw the course title I just don’t know why should we learn such thing and have no idea of this. But after these weeks, I started to have some basic information about this and have been thinking of the following question. Am I a cyborg? I think the first answer that pop-up in my mind is “NO” but actually, when I think further and deeper, I cannot deny it. In this century, most of us cannot cut ourselves off from the internet or computer or even mobile phone. Just like what my friend told me ‘I cannot do anything when my WIFI USB is broken and the broadband has been setup yet.” Yes, this is what we like in the age that we live in.
Honestly, I am not sure I like this subject or...but the course did make me think more about our life. But the more I know, the more I want to try living off grid. It’s because I can’t even remember how I lived with when I didn’t have a computer. Maybe, I can try it out someday. Although, I don’t really like the subject, I still think the weblog can enhance us to have better understanding of the subject while the usage and interaction should be improved. In fact, I think the weblog hasn’t been fully utilized but it still is a good way for us to express our feeling and to know more about “digital age”, the only way is to reach, to use it.
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose - Ng Chung Kee Angela
The First time when I know that I will have this subject in this semester, I really totally haveno idea what I will learn in this course. Also, when I see the course name, I don't know what it is and why it will be related to communication studies.
However, after I know the idea about cyborg, I start to aware the relationship between the technology and real life, how the technology can affect us in the daily life. I think the idea of this course is interesting because some of the topics are really close to our lives and some of the ideas are quite special which I have not learnt that before.
About the weblog, I think that the purpose is good . It is because the use of the weblog can let the students can have more interaction and they can review the presentation summary on the blog if they have just miss something during the presentation.
There is a problem , that is the interaction of the weblog is not as many as I expected and especially the webliography because there has no one comment on that. So I am a bit confuse about the efficient of it.
However, after I know the idea about cyborg, I start to aware the relationship between the technology and real life, how the technology can affect us in the daily life. I think the idea of this course is interesting because some of the topics are really close to our lives and some of the ideas are quite special which I have not learnt that before.
About the weblog, I think that the purpose is good . It is because the use of the weblog can let the students can have more interaction and they can review the presentation summary on the blog if they have just miss something during the presentation.
There is a problem , that is the interaction of the weblog is not as many as I expected and especially the webliography because there has no one comment on that. So I am a bit confuse about the efficient of it.
Reflection of the Unit, by Ashley Wong
The dualities of body/mind, nature/culture, human/machine…before studying this unit, I have no idea on these concepts and relationships. At the beginning of the course, I found it was so difficult and conceptual. What are Cyborg, feminism, dualities and gender identity? All of them are new to me. At that moment, I really did not know what the course about.
Am I a cyborg?
After twelve weeks studies, do I regard myself as a cyborg? I would say, yes! Even I am not “a cybernetic organism - a hybrid of machine and organism” which defined by Haraway, I have a close relationship with technology. I think I am already tying with it – machine, especially my computer and mobile phone. Because I already rely on technology, most of the information and social connection are gained through use of them. It seems that they are part of me, the extension of my eyes and ears. I have to using them in order to connect with the outside world. Otherwise, I feel lonely and uncomfortable.
Does the weblog help for learning?
For me, this weblog can help us studying this unit. That’s not just enhancing the interaction between students and lecturers, but importantly, learning from each other through reading others’ post and ideas. Besides, this weblog is like a ‘data base’. It includes all of our ideas and assignments. We can go through it anytime now and in the future. However, I think it would be better lecturers also join the discussion and we can be more active to make a post.
Do I like the unit?
During these weeks, I find it challenging but also enjoy studying this unit. It gives me more knowledge on gender& technology that the most I like, such as the relationship between women identity on internet and the reality. Besides, it evokes my interest on the possibilities of posthuman. Will they appear in the future and like the film’s plot? After studying this course, I think it is possible. We, human, are really afraid losing the superior status and controlling by others (e.g machine). How does it going? I am curious!
Evaluation of the Use of Blog for Learning Purpose By Michael Wan
It is the first time for me to use blog for learning. In the past, school website was designed for students to download lecture notes or check the assignment schedule. I can experience the merit of using internet in learning aspect when I am doing Self.net.
To be honest, we are cyborgs. We need computers for study and entertainment. Electronic devices and internet becomes part of our lives .We surf on the net every day by using mobile phones or computers.With the development of technology, it is so easy for us to connect to the world even we are outside.
In fact, internet can be the complement of learning. This blog is a platform for us to write academic passage through weblog. Under the schedule of the course requirement, we have to have discussion in classmates' presentation. It gives us a chance to revise what we learn from readings and lectures. I think it helps students to consolidate what they learned in a new subject.
This blog encourages students' participation in discussion.Compared with the foreign students, Hong Kong students are not keen on expressing their views in class. I remembered that when I was studying in Australia, my classmates love sharing in the class. I kept silent as I felt shy. In class discussion may not workable for Hong Kong students. However, classmates can feel free to express their views in the blog. Meaningful and interesting comments can be seen in the blog. As I mentioned before, students can understand the module better when they make comments with the support of the knowledge from readings.
To be honest, we are cyborgs. We need computers for study and entertainment. Electronic devices and internet becomes part of our lives .We surf on the net every day by using mobile phones or computers.With the development of technology, it is so easy for us to connect to the world even we are outside.
In fact, internet can be the complement of learning. This blog is a platform for us to write academic passage through weblog. Under the schedule of the course requirement, we have to have discussion in classmates' presentation. It gives us a chance to revise what we learn from readings and lectures. I think it helps students to consolidate what they learned in a new subject.
This blog encourages students' participation in discussion.Compared with the foreign students, Hong Kong students are not keen on expressing their views in class. I remembered that when I was studying in Australia, my classmates love sharing in the class. I kept silent as I felt shy. In class discussion may not workable for Hong Kong students. However, classmates can feel free to express their views in the blog. Meaningful and interesting comments can be seen in the blog. As I mentioned before, students can understand the module better when they make comments with the support of the knowledge from readings.
Evaluation of the use of blog for learning by Ashley Yeung
Undoubtedly, blogging is not only as an isolated phenomenon, but as part of a broad palette of cybercultural practices, which provide us with both new ways of doing and new ways of thinking. This is the very first time for me to use the blog for learning. In order to create a learning community, weblogs actually can help us achieve it by giving us a space to share our writing with other classmates in the class, who have the opportunity to leave comments under our classmates’ posts. Weblogs are also a powerful tool for teaching students about writing for an audience; we can reach the other classmates in the class, and also the readers outside the class who leave comments. Moreover, Weblog is easy for us to create content for the Web without knowing much HTML, find online articles related to topics discussed in class, and share them easily with other students. In my experience, blogging can encourage associative thinking. For example, we can share a youtube video or an image, which is related to that topic on the weblogs easily. And we can share some non-academic information, which can enhance our interests to the topic. For me, it really works since I may not be so active in class discussion but actually I have some opinions in my mind indeed. Therefore, weblogs can provide a good place for me to type some opinions or comments of some interesting issues. But at the same time, assigned blogging can be easily regarded as forced writing, since somebody may not have any opinions of the issues and writing blogs should be self-motivated rather than a forced writing. By the way, it is a good place for learning and commenting.
The most interesting topic in this course is the question of “Am I a cyborg?” and the posthuman. I have read some articles from Hayles and Harraway. Hayles’s view is that being posthuman does not necessarily require one to literally be a cyborg since the defining charactertistics of being posthuman involve the construction of subjectivity rather than bodily interventions or ‘prosthetic’ extension. Being posthuman, Hayles contends, is a point of view rather than a prescriptive state. I could consider myself a cyborg, since I can conduct daily activities online such as shop, communicate, bank, study and work. I can apply for jobs online and the system will remember my details to help populate future applications. My presence online can be recorded and tracked. I can be artificially kept alive in some cases. I can be projected via webcam down the wires and am a digital photograph, which can be modified, touched up or completely remixed. My whole essence is a series of codes from brain waves to DNA.
In the end, I would say this course has done a good job for me to rethink our bodies, identities and self in cyberspace. We always think that we are the creators of the technology so we can control the technology, however, we actually cannot live without technology in the twenty-first century. Thus, do we still have the boundary between human and machine? The technology changes our thinking and reasoning systems. It seems that we are now following the technology and adapting to the technological environment. The boundary between human and machine becomes blurred and disappeared. I think that is an interesting and critical issue for us to study further. Last but not least, I want to share a video of the ‘Future female: fetish or force to be reckoned with?’ Please enjoy!
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose by Leung Frances
It was the most unfamiliar course among others in this semester. It was a bit shameful to tell that I was panic when I heard of the term ‘Cyborg’ in the first lecture. Feminism, dualities, gender identities… many different topics have been discussed in this semester which are all new to me. Also blogging as a learning platform is also new to me as it is rarely used in Hong Kong and frankly speaking I am still not very used to it. But undoubtedly, if blogging is promoted to be one of the learning methods, perhaps it is such a great platform for everyone here providing new ways of learning and thinking. Sharing among classmates can be done easily by weblogs and comments are always available for us to speak out and do a reflection effectively.
The common use of weblogs questioned us the concept of cyborgs. We rely on online materials for presentation and sharing here and a domain ‘blogger.com’ for uploading our materials and giving comments right at the bottom of articles. Haraway has defined cyborg as ‘a hybrid of machine and organism’ that in some extent, we can more elaborate it to whom rely much on technology and cannot live without it. I cannot imagine if I do not have any electrical devices in hand as my network is now mainly constructed on social network platform. As many of my friends are in other foreign countries, it is the most convenient and fastest way to get to know the status of them through internet. I rely much on internet in my leisure time too like reading magazines and watching programs and dramas online or surfing for the newest products of some brands.
The unit, I would say, is quite abstract and ambiguous as somehow it is very new to me and sometimes I cannot really get a full understanding on some topics. But it is a course which let me think of myself thoroughly to rethink our bodies, self identities in the virtual cyber world and finally the dualities like nature and culture, human and technology. Have we well controlled the technology we invented? The problem is that we, humans, are bounded by technology but are still claiming ourselves we are controlling it. Self – deception is obviously the solution dealing with technology. Technology saves us but kills us. Perhaps, the unit is a course for all human beings!
Evaluation of the use of blog for learning_by Gladys Yeung
Reflective of weblog
This is not my first time to use weblog. I had a sharing diary with my friend during secondary school.The blog had recorded my daily life, my feelings and my experience which are memorable. Yet, I never imagine that blog can be used for learning purpose. I think it’s a new and good platform for students to express their opinions. We can share and discuss any topic which is related to this subject. However, I think we didn’t make a better use of this blog to share any ideas or opinions with classmates and lecturer. For me, this blog is just a place for posting homework instead of any sharing. Anyway, weblog is a good idea for academic used.
Reflective of Cyborg
At first, I didn’t have any idea about cyborg. The concept of cyborg is really abstract and difficult to understand. Cyborg is about the combination of mechanics and organics. It is not simply talking about embedding some machines into human’s body. Human become cyborg unconsciously once they use the technology. In other words, we cannot avoid being a cyborg in the contemporary society. Nowadays, technology is ubiquitous and we cannot live without it. For instance, people will feel insecurity if they forget to bring their mobile phone. We use it to keep contact with our friends. We rely on technology so much. For me, I admit that I am a cybrog because I absolutely cannot live without computer and mobile phone. Using computer and mobile phone is one of my living habits.
Reflective of Unit
This subject introduces a new concept, Cybrog, to me that is very interesting. After this course, I have a reflection that what human is. If a person relies on a machine to maintain his or her life, this person is human or not? What is the definition of human being? This question still confuses me a lot. On the other hand, this subject also makes me think more about the relationship between human and technology. We are the creator of those technologies but somehow we scare of it. Human are afraid that we will be controlled by technology in the future. I think it is a great irony.
This is not my first time to use weblog. I had a sharing diary with my friend during secondary school.The blog had recorded my daily life, my feelings and my experience which are memorable. Yet, I never imagine that blog can be used for learning purpose. I think it’s a new and good platform for students to express their opinions. We can share and discuss any topic which is related to this subject. However, I think we didn’t make a better use of this blog to share any ideas or opinions with classmates and lecturer. For me, this blog is just a place for posting homework instead of any sharing. Anyway, weblog is a good idea for academic used.
Reflective of Cyborg
At first, I didn’t have any idea about cyborg. The concept of cyborg is really abstract and difficult to understand. Cyborg is about the combination of mechanics and organics. It is not simply talking about embedding some machines into human’s body. Human become cyborg unconsciously once they use the technology. In other words, we cannot avoid being a cyborg in the contemporary society. Nowadays, technology is ubiquitous and we cannot live without it. For instance, people will feel insecurity if they forget to bring their mobile phone. We use it to keep contact with our friends. We rely on technology so much. For me, I admit that I am a cybrog because I absolutely cannot live without computer and mobile phone. Using computer and mobile phone is one of my living habits.
Reflective of Unit
This subject introduces a new concept, Cybrog, to me that is very interesting. After this course, I have a reflection that what human is. If a person relies on a machine to maintain his or her life, this person is human or not? What is the definition of human being? This question still confuses me a lot. On the other hand, this subject also makes me think more about the relationship between human and technology. We are the creator of those technologies but somehow we scare of it. Human are afraid that we will be controlled by technology in the future. I think it is a great irony.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Evaluation of the Use of Blog for Learning Purpose - Yan Shek
Nowadays, technology really makes our living become more convenient. We can easily get much information from the world and it also gives us a way to express the information. Such like the weblog I use in this course. Although I not often look and post the blog on it, no doubt that it really give us have another method to give more information from our classmate or the lecturer. For example, every week the presenter will post the content of their present on the weblog, we can watch more detail of the present. It can help us understand more of the present and understand more of the lecture of that week. It is very helpful for those students who have missed the presentation.
After I have studied this course, I start to think about one question – am I cyborg? Also, what the relation between human and body? I very agree that in nowadays, people really cannot live without the technology. Use myself as an example. Computer and mobile phone is the necessity of the daily life. I cannot imagine if one day I have lost these two things, how I get contact with my family and friend or how I do my assignment. I know that sound a little bit crazy but that the truth. Nowadays people are too relying on the technology. For example, nowadays every teacher will use powerpoint to present their lecture, student usually to read it on the computer at their home. Also, nowadays every people will use mobile to get contact with their friend. I can imagine if they lost their mobile, how nervous they will be. It is because the technologies make people forget how to have communication with other by face to face.
Before I think that cyborg is meaning those people who have machine inside their body, so it makes them become different with normal people. But the new technology has changed my mind because in nowadays people have very close relation with the machine. For example, medical use, etc. As I mentioned before, nowadays we cannot live without the technology, so I will also make us become cyborg. And it has change how people think about what is cyborg. I think it is interest that to discuss the question about cyborg because there have much different definition about it. I think it is time for us to have new understanding about cyborg and ourselves.
After I have studied this course, I start to think about one question – am I cyborg? Also, what the relation between human and body? I very agree that in nowadays, people really cannot live without the technology. Use myself as an example. Computer and mobile phone is the necessity of the daily life. I cannot imagine if one day I have lost these two things, how I get contact with my family and friend or how I do my assignment. I know that sound a little bit crazy but that the truth. Nowadays people are too relying on the technology. For example, nowadays every teacher will use powerpoint to present their lecture, student usually to read it on the computer at their home. Also, nowadays every people will use mobile to get contact with their friend. I can imagine if they lost their mobile, how nervous they will be. It is because the technologies make people forget how to have communication with other by face to face.
Before I think that cyborg is meaning those people who have machine inside their body, so it makes them become different with normal people. But the new technology has changed my mind because in nowadays people have very close relation with the machine. For example, medical use, etc. As I mentioned before, nowadays we cannot live without the technology, so I will also make us become cyborg. And it has change how people think about what is cyborg. I think it is interest that to discuss the question about cyborg because there have much different definition about it. I think it is time for us to have new understanding about cyborg and ourselves.
Evaluation of the Use of Blogs for Learning Purpose - Wong Cho Yi, Joey
This is my first time to experience learning on a weblog and it’s an interesting way to learn with an online platform.
This kind of platform allows us to express our own point of view, especially for student who might not participate actively during class time. Hong Kong students tend to remain silent in class time, thus we used to have a unilateral learning with only teachers’ voice of teaching. However this weblog allows student to access anytime, and it is exoteric. Therefore those shy students who do not speak during class time can also voice out their thought and share with others once they have any idea on this unit.
The platform stimulates learning between students. Students can learn from others when they see any comment on the weblog. Some students may have a uniquely thought come up in their mind after class. When we do not have this weblog, that special idea would only stay in the student’s mind and will never publish. But now, thanks to the weblog establishment, those particular thought can be share after class and expand the area of how we think and develop our view.
I regard that I am a cyborg even before I use this weblog for learning. People nowadays rely on computer to manage their work, to communicate with friends, to gain information. All those actions require people to stick with a device and connect to the internet. Of course, I am one of them. Opening computer is the first thing I do when I go back home. Checking e-mail, facebook or working on my assignment, so the time I sit in front of the computer is much longer than the time I spend with my parents. On the other hand, when I am on my way (to school or to work), I always put on my earphone and listen to my ipod. Seems like I am with different kind of devices at different moment. So no doubt to say I am not a cyborg.
This unit is the most ambiguous course I have ever seen. All topics in this unit are also describing things round us, but at the same time, feel like I haven’t seen them in the reality. I think it is because of the nature of technology. Technology is the thing that it has so many ways to transform. It can be a tool for human to have a more convenient life style, but it can be a instrument to alter our society.
This kind of platform allows us to express our own point of view, especially for student who might not participate actively during class time. Hong Kong students tend to remain silent in class time, thus we used to have a unilateral learning with only teachers’ voice of teaching. However this weblog allows student to access anytime, and it is exoteric. Therefore those shy students who do not speak during class time can also voice out their thought and share with others once they have any idea on this unit.
The platform stimulates learning between students. Students can learn from others when they see any comment on the weblog. Some students may have a uniquely thought come up in their mind after class. When we do not have this weblog, that special idea would only stay in the student’s mind and will never publish. But now, thanks to the weblog establishment, those particular thought can be share after class and expand the area of how we think and develop our view.
I regard that I am a cyborg even before I use this weblog for learning. People nowadays rely on computer to manage their work, to communicate with friends, to gain information. All those actions require people to stick with a device and connect to the internet. Of course, I am one of them. Opening computer is the first thing I do when I go back home. Checking e-mail, facebook or working on my assignment, so the time I sit in front of the computer is much longer than the time I spend with my parents. On the other hand, when I am on my way (to school or to work), I always put on my earphone and listen to my ipod. Seems like I am with different kind of devices at different moment. So no doubt to say I am not a cyborg.
This unit is the most ambiguous course I have ever seen. All topics in this unit are also describing things round us, but at the same time, feel like I haven’t seen them in the reality. I think it is because of the nature of technology. Technology is the thing that it has so many ways to transform. It can be a tool for human to have a more convenient life style, but it can be a instrument to alter our society.
Evaluation of the Use of Blog for Learning Purpose - Poyu Ng
When I knew that I have to study a unit called " Self. Net Identity in the Digital Age", I really have no idea what I will going to learn in this unit. Will it very difficult for me or will it is about some interesting topics or about something of your personal? This makes me rise up a lot of questions in my mind.
I still remember the first lesson of this unit, that was about cyborgs. What is cyborgs? From that moment I started interested in this unit.I also feel this unit is a bit surprise in some topics, that is because I never thought about that can be linked which all are related in our daily life.
Also, this unit is different from other units is that there is a weblog platform for us to share the works and comment on every week topic. Before, I used blog to express my own feeling about my daily life or just type a few words about the day.Now, blog is different to me that I can use it in acadamic works and share different feelings about the unit, this is a new study format for me.
I think this weblog is quite useful for me, it is because we can see all the works done by our classmates and can learn from them or share any idea in different topics that in our unit and the presentation discuss question and express our idea after class. This makes the learning place not only at school but also in every where that you can access to the interent and this is what makes the boundary between study and leisure blured, but I think this is new try for me and this helps me to learn more besides from school.
I still remember the first lesson of this unit, that was about cyborgs. What is cyborgs? From that moment I started interested in this unit.I also feel this unit is a bit surprise in some topics, that is because I never thought about that can be linked which all are related in our daily life.
Also, this unit is different from other units is that there is a weblog platform for us to share the works and comment on every week topic. Before, I used blog to express my own feeling about my daily life or just type a few words about the day.Now, blog is different to me that I can use it in acadamic works and share different feelings about the unit, this is a new study format for me.
I think this weblog is quite useful for me, it is because we can see all the works done by our classmates and can learn from them or share any idea in different topics that in our unit and the presentation discuss question and express our idea after class. This makes the learning place not only at school but also in every where that you can access to the interent and this is what makes the boundary between study and leisure blured, but I think this is new try for me and this helps me to learn more besides from school.
Evaluation of the Use of Blog for Learning Purpose_BETTY WU KI YAN
When I signed up for this course “Self Net identity in digital age”, I didn’t really know what to expect. In the beginning I had my fears. For instance I was concerned that the class was going to be fraught with imagine to future, some virtual things. So I was a bit apprehensive, but it turned out not to be as scary as I’d originally thought it would be. In contrast, I think this course is quite fun. At the beginning of this course, I learnt about the cyborg theory, then in the group present I have presented a topic about “Friends” which about the relationship between Facebook friends and real life friends. It was a quite come to life experience for us since we always surf on Facebook. And through this course can let me think more about internet, real life, and social network relationship.
Other that the feeling of this course, I think the blog is meaningless to me. First, in my opinion, blog is not like this. This “Blog” to me is just a message board for UWA students to hand in their homework. Different classmates posted the Webliography, present summary, and comment on this blog. It is no doubt that it can increase the interaction between classmates, however, for the real blog, I think this is not. I have a real blog and that blog is already run almost 7 years. The blog mainly record my feeling in my daily life, my experience, and some lyrics I liked. If I got some interesting things happen in my daily life, I will record in it. You can say this is not a real blog since everyone has different definition with blogging. However, if compare two blogs, my own blog and this UWA blog, I will say mine is better.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Evaluation of the Use of Blog for Learning Purpose - Ellis Wong
Before studying this unit, I have never used a blog before. I have never created my own blog and also never posted anything on a blog for learning purpose. However, after studying this unit, I first found it quite useful because it has allowed me to creat new posts and to comment on my classmates' posts.
At first, I doubted that what is the use of this blog because I thought it could not provide us any theoretical concepts and useful materials related to this unit. However, after all of us had posted our introductory posts, I know what each of my classmates know about this unit; for example, many of us posted the film "Cyborg She" and introduced it in their post. Even I myself had introduced this film in my first introductory post, as I have watched this film before and found it very interesting.
Following the next couples of weeks, each of the groups had to post the information about their presentation every week. It allows me to read through the details about each week's topic and sometimes I posted comments on some of the posts. It is a good way for me to interact with my classmates and to exchange our ideas concerning each week's topic on the blog.
Moreover, we used the blog to post our assignments like the webliography and the news reflection. I found it is a new way to sumbit our assignments as well as to learn some new things that were included in my classmates' posts. Therefore, I think my experience of first using a blog has made my learing more convenient and easier.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tutorial Presentation: Posthuman Conclusions
The topic of this week is posthuman conclusions. To start with, we have to find out the difference between human nowadays and posthuman generation. Traditionally, there is always the existence of dualities, which means if you are not a man, then you must be a woman. In view of this, humans are limited by their organic bodies. From the point of view of posthuman, it helps people understand the world from multiple heterogeneous perspectives.
Posthumanism suggests the breaking down of the real and nature. It insists that there is no absolute truth existing in the world. The existing dualities are only constructed by human and forced upon us. It also states that human’s perceptions are not rational and easily affected by the environment and the factors; for example, The Madhouse and 4D movies. Posthumanism possesses a view that people cannot love without technology. It sees our bodies as original prosthesis and we should learn to manipulate. Moreover, the boundary between body and computer will be blurred.
For embodiment, human’s body is viewed from a cultural perspective, which means the representation of human is socially constructed; for example, we consider people with long hair must be girls. Embodiment means the experience from the inside, including feelings, emotions and sensations. Human’s bodies are closely related to their embodiment. They are related to unconscious expressions like the posture of how we sit, people touching their ears when they are feeling nervous. Human embodiment is not naturally constructed, but rather affected by the environment and things. For instance, different gender will have different reactions when watching horror films.
Donna Haraway has said “Human and technology will enable us to download our consciousness into computers, thereby escaping the frailties of the human body, especially mortality”. She points out the possible relations between humans and technology in the future. She even sees the future that technology can help human beings from mortality. Another schlor, Andy Clark, mentions that “technologies have always coevolved with the human brain”. During the lecture this week, we have learnt that technology is designed for human’s use; and humans will then get used to it. Therefore, human’s brains and technology are influencing each other.
An example will be computer video game players. When game players are playing games, they use a joystick have a control of their movements in the game. According to the readings, the joystick is seen as an extension of the hands of computer games players. Thus, the players have to biologically adapt to the joystick and use it as their own hands. But why can they do it? It is because human’s flexible neural system enables them to do so.
Clark has also mentioned that “Not in the merely superficial sense of combining flesh and wires, but in the more profound sense of being human-technology symbiots: thinking and reasoning systems whose minds and selves are spread across biological brain and non-biological circuitry”. He states that cyborgs are not only the mixture of flesh and wires, but a mixture of human beings and technology.
In the readings, Hayles points out that cogntion is a systemic activity throughout environment. There are also many cognizing agents; however, being the most powerful is intelligent machines (technology). On the other hand, humans are not only grasped by their conscious mind, but also having interactions with the environment. Technology is for humans and when technology changes, humans’ brains adapt to it. And this is seen as a two-way influence.
Discussion:
1. What will you do when you go back do?
2. It is no doubt that technology influences us a lot, like what? E.g. life experience, consumer habits, learning habits.
3. How many people will use credit card / Octopus card more often than paying cash? Why? Does it change your concept about money?
4. Does technology change your consumer habits? Online shopping rather than go out shopping?
5. If there is no power point for presentation / no Word for doing essay. What will you do?
6. Do you want to own a pillow like this (the pillow we have shown during our presentation)?
7. Heartbeat seems the uniqueness of animals, but now you can hear your lover’s heartbeat through a machine. Will you think the technology will replace the human uniqueness in the future? E.g. Memory / brain.
Posthumanism suggests the breaking down of the real and nature. It insists that there is no absolute truth existing in the world. The existing dualities are only constructed by human and forced upon us. It also states that human’s perceptions are not rational and easily affected by the environment and the factors; for example, The Madhouse and 4D movies. Posthumanism possesses a view that people cannot love without technology. It sees our bodies as original prosthesis and we should learn to manipulate. Moreover, the boundary between body and computer will be blurred.
For embodiment, human’s body is viewed from a cultural perspective, which means the representation of human is socially constructed; for example, we consider people with long hair must be girls. Embodiment means the experience from the inside, including feelings, emotions and sensations. Human’s bodies are closely related to their embodiment. They are related to unconscious expressions like the posture of how we sit, people touching their ears when they are feeling nervous. Human embodiment is not naturally constructed, but rather affected by the environment and things. For instance, different gender will have different reactions when watching horror films.
Donna Haraway has said “Human and technology will enable us to download our consciousness into computers, thereby escaping the frailties of the human body, especially mortality”. She points out the possible relations between humans and technology in the future. She even sees the future that technology can help human beings from mortality. Another schlor, Andy Clark, mentions that “technologies have always coevolved with the human brain”. During the lecture this week, we have learnt that technology is designed for human’s use; and humans will then get used to it. Therefore, human’s brains and technology are influencing each other.
An example will be computer video game players. When game players are playing games, they use a joystick have a control of their movements in the game. According to the readings, the joystick is seen as an extension of the hands of computer games players. Thus, the players have to biologically adapt to the joystick and use it as their own hands. But why can they do it? It is because human’s flexible neural system enables them to do so.
Clark has also mentioned that “Not in the merely superficial sense of combining flesh and wires, but in the more profound sense of being human-technology symbiots: thinking and reasoning systems whose minds and selves are spread across biological brain and non-biological circuitry”. He states that cyborgs are not only the mixture of flesh and wires, but a mixture of human beings and technology.
In the readings, Hayles points out that cogntion is a systemic activity throughout environment. There are also many cognizing agents; however, being the most powerful is intelligent machines (technology). On the other hand, humans are not only grasped by their conscious mind, but also having interactions with the environment. Technology is for humans and when technology changes, humans’ brains adapt to it. And this is seen as a two-way influence.
Discussion:
1. What will you do when you go back do?
2. It is no doubt that technology influences us a lot, like what? E.g. life experience, consumer habits, learning habits.
3. How many people will use credit card / Octopus card more often than paying cash? Why? Does it change your concept about money?
4. Does technology change your consumer habits? Online shopping rather than go out shopping?
5. If there is no power point for presentation / no Word for doing essay. What will you do?
6. Do you want to own a pillow like this (the pillow we have shown during our presentation)?
7. Heartbeat seems the uniqueness of animals, but now you can hear your lover’s heartbeat through a machine. Will you think the technology will replace the human uniqueness in the future? E.g. Memory / brain.
By:
Ellis Wong / Ashley Yeung / Yan Shek
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Evaluation of the use of blog for learning purpose_Charlene Yim
After these twelve weeks, I have found that blogging can be a very useful learning tool. In the past, I will make use of blog as a tool to record my daily life or feelings. But I have never thought of any academic purpose, this course had given me a chance to discover a new way to use blogging. It is great to have a platform that we can share our findings or feelings with our classmates. I believed that it has created a win-win situation. While you posted the information on the blog, you can read others’ post as to widen our reading horizon.
I will regard myself as an involuntary cyborg. The reason for me to sit in front of my computer, most of the time is doing homework. At my leisure time, I seldom use computer. I would prefer going out with my family or friends, have some outdoor activities rather than sitting in front of this cold machine. In recent years, there is a large improvement in technology, people can easily access to the Internet by the mobile phones, iPads or tablets. Actually, I think that this is not a good scenario to the society. When you travel by public transportation, it is not difficult to see a lot of people busy with their own “business”. Everyone is tapping on their cell phones. I always see couple busy with their iPhones and having no conversation all through the journey. There is no doubt that technology has greatly improved our quality of life. However, I think that it has greatly widened the distance between people. Nowadays, people always communicate with others by sms, msn or whatsapp, etc. This technology seems shorten the distances between people in some other places. But how about the person besides us? I believed that this is a question that deserved our introspection.
This unit has brought to me a lot of new concepts such as cyborg which I have never heard before. And it had give me a lot of chance to explore on the Internet.
I will regard myself as an involuntary cyborg. The reason for me to sit in front of my computer, most of the time is doing homework. At my leisure time, I seldom use computer. I would prefer going out with my family or friends, have some outdoor activities rather than sitting in front of this cold machine. In recent years, there is a large improvement in technology, people can easily access to the Internet by the mobile phones, iPads or tablets. Actually, I think that this is not a good scenario to the society. When you travel by public transportation, it is not difficult to see a lot of people busy with their own “business”. Everyone is tapping on their cell phones. I always see couple busy with their iPhones and having no conversation all through the journey. There is no doubt that technology has greatly improved our quality of life. However, I think that it has greatly widened the distance between people. Nowadays, people always communicate with others by sms, msn or whatsapp, etc. This technology seems shorten the distances between people in some other places. But how about the person besides us? I believed that this is a question that deserved our introspection.
This unit has brought to me a lot of new concepts such as cyborg which I have never heard before. And it had give me a lot of chance to explore on the Internet.
Evaluation of the use of blogs for learning purposes- Jessica Wong Yi Yan
Blogging is undoubtedly a useful tool for communicating, as it provides a platform for centralizing a variety of opinions. However it only works well when people have great interaction with it. The blog cannot exert its largest function if each comment is separated bit by bit. Personally speaking, it was a good experience of using the blog for discussion, but it would be much better if bloggers can be more active in using the tool to express their views. Some of the comments were very impressive and the questions have given us a golden opportunity to have self-examination.
From those questions, we may think about not only the content of studies, but a reflection of self identity. Such as do we call ourselves cyborg? I regard myself as cyborg as I rely on technologies so much that I could not even resist the temptation. Except from sleeping, most of the time I have been merged with computers and the mobile phone. It is hard for me to separate the private life and public life as technologies has blurred their absolute territory. For instance, the Facebook has given us the opportunity to publicize our private life, every minor things happens in our daily life can be posted online for others to view.
The best thing in this unit was the perspective of gender. I found myself obsess with the view of feminism. Since I have got deeper into the perspective of feminism, things surrounding me have revealed a smell of male chauvinism and the stereotype of female behavior. Henceforth, I have a deeper realization of myself living in a society structured identity. This realization had changed the way of my personal world view.
Yet, there are lots of ambiguities in this unit. The more I study the unit, the more difficulties I confront in learning. The unit has been too complex for us to understand in between twelve weeks. Everything has become uncertain which I found a bit lost in the ambiguously structured world.
From those questions, we may think about not only the content of studies, but a reflection of self identity. Such as do we call ourselves cyborg? I regard myself as cyborg as I rely on technologies so much that I could not even resist the temptation. Except from sleeping, most of the time I have been merged with computers and the mobile phone. It is hard for me to separate the private life and public life as technologies has blurred their absolute territory. For instance, the Facebook has given us the opportunity to publicize our private life, every minor things happens in our daily life can be posted online for others to view.
The best thing in this unit was the perspective of gender. I found myself obsess with the view of feminism. Since I have got deeper into the perspective of feminism, things surrounding me have revealed a smell of male chauvinism and the stereotype of female behavior. Henceforth, I have a deeper realization of myself living in a society structured identity. This realization had changed the way of my personal world view.
Yet, there are lots of ambiguities in this unit. The more I study the unit, the more difficulties I confront in learning. The unit has been too complex for us to understand in between twelve weeks. Everything has become uncertain which I found a bit lost in the ambiguously structured world.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Webliography - Charlene Yim
Question 2: “The machine/organism relationships are obsolete, uncessary” writes Haraway. In what ways have our relations to machines been theorized?
1. Nordqvist ,Christian. “Artificial Limbs Attached Directly To Human Skeleton.” Medical News Today 03 Jul 2006 - 13:00 PST. 20 Apr 2011. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/46475.php>
This article is introducing the Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis technique which studied by the Scientists from University College London and tested on the patient of Mount Vernon Hospital, Middlesex, England. The testing process has achieved a great success. By this technique, artificial limb can be directly connected to disables and controlled by their CNS (central nervous system). This new technology has a lot of great benefits to disable patient. Firstly, it can greatly reduce the chance of wound infection as the artificial limb is attached to the bone by a titanium rod so that all the artificial limbs are strapped onto the outside of the patient’s body. Moreover, according to the scientist, the skin around the titanium rod will fuse and a seal will be formed. In this way, the artificial limb will not breach the skin so the risk of wound infection can greatly reduced, or even be avoided. Secondly, the soreness and/or numbness produced by the artificial limb to the patient can be eliminated. It is because the soreness and/or numbness are created by the pressure of the artificial limb against the limb. In this new technology, it was connected by the titanium rod so the soreness and/or numbness can be avoided.
2. Halley, Drew. The Future of Sex: Androids, VR, and the Orgasm Button. Singularity Hub. 20 May 2009. 20 Apr 2011. <http://singularityhub.com/2009/05/20/the-future-of-sex-androids-vr-and-the-orgasm-button/>
In the article, “The Future of Sex: Androids, VR, and the Orgasm Button”, the writer discuss on how may human’s sex life become in the future. Sex is a primitive desire of human being. But there is a huge change on the purpose as time goes by. At the very beginning, it is for reproductive purpose. But, for now, it may about pleasure more than reproduction as there are a lot of contraception methods. So that human can enjoy sex with a minimum chance of being pregnant. And it brought up the idea that human’s sex mode may be shifted will the developed off technology.
In 1953, Dr. John C.Lilly from the National Institute of Mental Health conducted an experiment on a male monkey. He put two electrodes in its brain and found the area which responsible for erection, ejaculation, and orgasm. Through a series of experiment, he found out that orgasm of the male monkey can be produced by electrical stimulation.
In the passage, it also pointed out that technology has greatly influenced human life. However, is this influence good or bad? This is the question that left by the writer for the reader to have an introspection.
3. Denton, Michael. “ARE WE SPIRITUAL MACHINES? | Chapter 3: Organism and Machine — The Flawed Analogy”. Kurzweil. 7 Jun 2001. 20 Apr 2011. < http://www.kurzweilai.net/chapter-3-organism-and-machine-the-flawed-analogy >
The passage “ARE WE SPIRITUAL MACHINES? | Chapter 3: Organism and Machine — The Flawed Analogy” was written by Michael Denton in 2001. In the article, Michael has discussed on the topic of the combination of organism and machine. He wanted to question the validity of the machine/organism analogy upon which the whole mechanistic tradition is based. He brought up the idea that it may be not possible to create a “spiritual machine” as human can rarely find an exact instantiation in artificial manmade systems.
One of the reasons that proposed by the writer is the variation in genome. Human reproduction is very complicated process. It is something that happened in an entirely natural way, no one can have any prediction on it. The combination of the two set of chromosome can create a huge number of variation, that’s why human is so unique. This uniqueness cannot be replaced by machine.
The writer addressed that human/organisms and machines cannot be analog as organisms are having some kind of properties which machines will never have a similar behavior. If human/organisms and machines can be analog, a lot of problem will be created. The whole mechanistic framework of modern biology would have to be abandoned. The human evolution theory will have to be reformulated also.
4. Bar-Cohen, Yoseph. “Bionic Humans Using EAP as Artificial Muscles Reality and Challenges”. ARS Journal. 3 Sept 2004. 20 Apr 2011. < http://www.ars-journal.com/ars/Free_Articles/Bar-Cohen.htm >
The passage “Bionic Humans Using EAP as Artificial Muscles Reality and Challenges” which written by Yoseph Bar-Cohen was discussed on the idea of connecting bionic muscle to human body. The idea often appeared in movie, however, it may come true in the future. From the article, it stated that nowadays’ medical science had developed a new material which called electroactive polymers (EAP). Although the techniques still need to be studied, it was a great step on the bionic muscle medical science.
Materials that are available to replaced human body tissue have long been a trouble to the medical science as the number of patients that needed an organ transplant is always a lot more than the number supplied. Therefore, artificial alternatives are always required. However, the development in artificial human organ is not an easy process. There are a lot of aspects that required the scientist to give consideration to, for example, the biological compatibility as rejection will even cause death of the patient and the effectiveness of the artificial human organ.
The passage also brought up the idea of making human-like robot by the electroactive polymers (EAP) technology. By the technology of the present days, we are able to make robot that have facial expression. Along the development of the technology, body movement related to the facial expressions of the robot will be possible in which to make these robots become more human-like.
5. Boyle, Jen. “Sex and the Body in Technology”. Net Industries. 20 Apr 2011. 20 Apr 2011. < http://science.jrank.org/pages/63427/Sex-Body-in-Technology.html >
In the article “Sex and the Body in Technology”, the writer addressed that the concept of body has been changed along with the development of the technology and the change in the cultural environment.
In the past, human being can only studied ourselves in a physical way. As technology improved, we are able to study human to a genetic extent. From the nineteenth centuries, there was a great step in the human biological studies technology. That is the succeed in the Human Genome Project. This project provided a full profile of human genetic material through data-basing the human DNA sequences which highly contributory to the preventing of genetic disease and also the eugenic researches.
The writer also stated that the studies in human body would produce a great help in the development of the prostheses which could help a lot of disables. Moreover, the development in technology would allow people become more powerful.
1. Nordqvist ,Christian. “Artificial Limbs Attached Directly To Human Skeleton.” Medical News Today 03 Jul 2006 - 13:00 PST. 20 Apr 2011. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/46475.php>
This article is introducing the Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis technique which studied by the Scientists from University College London and tested on the patient of Mount Vernon Hospital, Middlesex, England. The testing process has achieved a great success. By this technique, artificial limb can be directly connected to disables and controlled by their CNS (central nervous system). This new technology has a lot of great benefits to disable patient. Firstly, it can greatly reduce the chance of wound infection as the artificial limb is attached to the bone by a titanium rod so that all the artificial limbs are strapped onto the outside of the patient’s body. Moreover, according to the scientist, the skin around the titanium rod will fuse and a seal will be formed. In this way, the artificial limb will not breach the skin so the risk of wound infection can greatly reduced, or even be avoided. Secondly, the soreness and/or numbness produced by the artificial limb to the patient can be eliminated. It is because the soreness and/or numbness are created by the pressure of the artificial limb against the limb. In this new technology, it was connected by the titanium rod so the soreness and/or numbness can be avoided.
2. Halley, Drew. The Future of Sex: Androids, VR, and the Orgasm Button. Singularity Hub. 20 May 2009. 20 Apr 2011. <http://singularityhub.com/2009/05/20/the-future-of-sex-androids-vr-and-the-orgasm-button/>
In the article, “The Future of Sex: Androids, VR, and the Orgasm Button”, the writer discuss on how may human’s sex life become in the future. Sex is a primitive desire of human being. But there is a huge change on the purpose as time goes by. At the very beginning, it is for reproductive purpose. But, for now, it may about pleasure more than reproduction as there are a lot of contraception methods. So that human can enjoy sex with a minimum chance of being pregnant. And it brought up the idea that human’s sex mode may be shifted will the developed off technology.
In 1953, Dr. John C.Lilly from the National Institute of Mental Health conducted an experiment on a male monkey. He put two electrodes in its brain and found the area which responsible for erection, ejaculation, and orgasm. Through a series of experiment, he found out that orgasm of the male monkey can be produced by electrical stimulation.
In the passage, it also pointed out that technology has greatly influenced human life. However, is this influence good or bad? This is the question that left by the writer for the reader to have an introspection.
3. Denton, Michael. “ARE WE SPIRITUAL MACHINES? | Chapter 3: Organism and Machine — The Flawed Analogy”. Kurzweil. 7 Jun 2001. 20 Apr 2011. < http://www.kurzweilai.net/chapter-3-organism-and-machine-the-flawed-analogy >
The passage “ARE WE SPIRITUAL MACHINES? | Chapter 3: Organism and Machine — The Flawed Analogy” was written by Michael Denton in 2001. In the article, Michael has discussed on the topic of the combination of organism and machine. He wanted to question the validity of the machine/organism analogy upon which the whole mechanistic tradition is based. He brought up the idea that it may be not possible to create a “spiritual machine” as human can rarely find an exact instantiation in artificial manmade systems.
One of the reasons that proposed by the writer is the variation in genome. Human reproduction is very complicated process. It is something that happened in an entirely natural way, no one can have any prediction on it. The combination of the two set of chromosome can create a huge number of variation, that’s why human is so unique. This uniqueness cannot be replaced by machine.
The writer addressed that human/organisms and machines cannot be analog as organisms are having some kind of properties which machines will never have a similar behavior. If human/organisms and machines can be analog, a lot of problem will be created. The whole mechanistic framework of modern biology would have to be abandoned. The human evolution theory will have to be reformulated also.
4. Bar-Cohen, Yoseph. “Bionic Humans Using EAP as Artificial Muscles Reality and Challenges”. ARS Journal. 3 Sept 2004. 20 Apr 2011. < http://www.ars-journal.com/ars/Free_Articles/Bar-Cohen.htm >
The passage “Bionic Humans Using EAP as Artificial Muscles Reality and Challenges” which written by Yoseph Bar-Cohen was discussed on the idea of connecting bionic muscle to human body. The idea often appeared in movie, however, it may come true in the future. From the article, it stated that nowadays’ medical science had developed a new material which called electroactive polymers (EAP). Although the techniques still need to be studied, it was a great step on the bionic muscle medical science.
Materials that are available to replaced human body tissue have long been a trouble to the medical science as the number of patients that needed an organ transplant is always a lot more than the number supplied. Therefore, artificial alternatives are always required. However, the development in artificial human organ is not an easy process. There are a lot of aspects that required the scientist to give consideration to, for example, the biological compatibility as rejection will even cause death of the patient and the effectiveness of the artificial human organ.
The passage also brought up the idea of making human-like robot by the electroactive polymers (EAP) technology. By the technology of the present days, we are able to make robot that have facial expression. Along the development of the technology, body movement related to the facial expressions of the robot will be possible in which to make these robots become more human-like.
5. Boyle, Jen. “Sex and the Body in Technology”. Net Industries. 20 Apr 2011. 20 Apr 2011. < http://science.jrank.org/pages/63427/Sex-Body-in-Technology.html >
In the article “Sex and the Body in Technology”, the writer addressed that the concept of body has been changed along with the development of the technology and the change in the cultural environment.
In the past, human being can only studied ourselves in a physical way. As technology improved, we are able to study human to a genetic extent. From the nineteenth centuries, there was a great step in the human biological studies technology. That is the succeed in the Human Genome Project. This project provided a full profile of human genetic material through data-basing the human DNA sequences which highly contributory to the preventing of genetic disease and also the eugenic researches.
The writer also stated that the studies in human body would produce a great help in the development of the prostheses which could help a lot of disables. Moreover, the development in technology would allow people become more powerful.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Week 11 Presentation - Work & Play
This week lecture cover two aspects of advanced technology, they are Work and Play. However, our presentation will have a larger focus on Work.Nowadays, most women participate in workforce, and advanced technology provides women to have a wider range of choice on where and when to work. The reading titled “The Normalization of Flexible Female Labor in the Information Economy”. The main focus of this article is to question the impact of flexible working economy for women as directing women to have family & work advance in society. When information communication technology is developed from day by day, the reading suggested us to look at how technology could cooperate with businesswoman. Besides it questions the impact of this kind of flexible working economy for women, re-think their participation in work force and the meaning of ‘work’.
There are some points that are important in this article which are dualities, second shift and flexibility. These key words have a very close relationship with technology and businesswomen.
Based on the content of lecture 1, dualities are just human’s construction that is forced upon us. Things are needed to be distinguish to the extremity meaning, for example, body/ mind, human/ machine or nature/ culture. However the existence of cyborg could break down the dualities, this consequence is much like the dualities between work and home. Because when technology allows people to choice when and when to work, the meaning of private and public is become blur when people choose to do their business at home.
For the ‘second shift’, it has a greater connection with working women. When Moms choose work from home, on one hand, they work, on the other hand, they have to take care of children or do the family work. This is so called ‘second shift’ which means they are having two jobs at the same.
Is it a real flexibility for women? Maybe not.
Because the women who choose work from home, people will think that they should also take care of children. In society, it is already assume women as the primary care-giver in family relationships. Therefore, the ‘choice’, the ‘flexibility’ are just to reinforce the practices of gender division of labor in family & society.
This assumption is always shown in advertising. The following video is an example - 'Netvigator home wireless':
What’s your opinion of the position of the Mom & Dad in the video?
You may discuss by starting think of below question:
1. What does “work” means in your mind? (when, where, what, who, how)
2. What are the differences between mom and dad? And how do you feel that?
3. Is technology helping women to be more self-determination? Are women now having more bargaining power to be what they want to be?
4. Does advanced technology change women identity in workplace? Can it be able to reconstruct the gender identity or make it worst?
5. When the moms are being symbolized as a “work at home mom” and deal with two jobs at the same time. What boundaries does it break down or blur?
6. What social attitudes towards gender roles does it produce?
By
Joey Wong
Ashley Wong
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