Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #8

My thinking of science and humanities I can honestly say as changed my mind, maybe because I really didn't know much about science and some important people that were behind some great creations and others not so great. For example, the fact Futurama in the 1939 fair had a huge impact on modern suburban cities, whether it was intentional or not. When we had seen the Futurama archives it amazed me how they predicted so well what America would become. Even though it was just a fair that was meant to be demolished, it was intended to enlighten the souls of Americans that were suffering from the Great Depression.  I think I am still more a humanities person because now I know a little more than I did before. Science awes me a little more now but still doesn't grab much of my attention. At least now I know that scientist deserve more recognition than ever for all their hard work that they put into their research that to this day affect our daily lives. I can say that can be one of the promises of science. In the other hand some perils of science can be artificial intelligence. The idea of robots becoming it's one self and taking over the human race can be mind-blowing, even though that's how almost every Hollywood movie becomes, it can still happen.

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment # 7

For this post I decided to write about Rosalind Franklin because I find her story quite interesting. 

Based on her discovery of the DNA structure, it has impacted our way of life greatly. I think her that her life work gives us that extra push so that we never give up on our goals, even when there are other people trying to take it. Rosalind had to face many obstacles throughout her work, one of many, her being a female. Since it was in the 20th century most woman weren't taken serious, men were the center attention. I feel like in science you have to keep pushing and pushing on research, always finding alternative motives, checking if there’s other possibility. I believe that's what Rosalind was all about. She discovered Photo 51, when she increased the humidity on the image she got a distinctive cross shape pattern of a helical structure. She was so close until, Watson and Crick stole her idea. 

I think her work gives us a sense of wonder and awes us because one may never know if they are on the verge of great discovery if they give up half way. Even though she never received recognition for her hour’s long and dedicated work, she still never gave up. 

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #6

For my research paper I am focusing on The New York World's Fair, Futurama, and Global Warming. I chose this topic because it is one of the prefab topics that stood out to me the most. 

For one of my resources it is entitled Yesturday's World of Tomorrow with an unknown author. I found it on LexisNexis, it is an article from The New York Times published on Sunday, October 14th, 1994. This source is pretty relevant because it talks about the Futurama and it detailed a diorama of how urban American society will look like in the 1960s with automated highways. It supports my argument on how Futurama's presentation was more of an outline of a project than just a presentation. It also fits my research paper perfectly because it talks about how General Motors received a $200 million Federal contract to begin the project, which in all matters, they actually knew that the presentation will see the light of day.  

Another resources I found was also an article from The New York Times, found on LexisNexis. Michael Pollak in his article, A Return To the Future, 1939 Style, is basically reflecting back to the 1939 World’s Fair and using other people’s websites and quotes to support his work. He describes the fair as a “life changing” event for all those who visited the fair. This is a pretty good source because it let's you see from the point of view of the people that actually did attend the fair so then you can look at it in all kinds of angles. 

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #5

For this assignment, I chose to "The Terminator" because I have never seen it before and it might seem interesting. Well since this movie came out about twenty years ago I think it would be terrifying the idea of robots because it was a creation for destruction and murder. Arnold Schwarzenegger played the lead role in this movie as the terminator himself. According to IMDb, he was indestructible robot who was sent from 2029 to 1984 to assassinate a waitress whose unborn son will lead humanity into a war against humans. It is terrifying to me because the waitress has no idea why he was sent to terminate her and now she is fighting for her life from something that cannot be stopped nor destroyed.
I don't think robots become acceptable by people because in almost every film something goes wrong and the bots turn evil and try to dominate the human race which is something anyone can fear. Maybe the people who are actually more into technology than into humanities have some type of hope for robots. As for the humanities side we still kind of have our guards up against the whole idea.
We might accept accept robots in the future and the promise of technology if it would actually benefit us in many ways. Well it maybe will be since humanities depends on technology for almost every single thing on this earth, (communication, electricity, medical, transportation,etc). But it still lurks in your mind the idea of bots taking over and humans are under their hands instead. Food for thought.

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #4

When General Motors created Futurama, they envisioned a world filled with cars, building and highways. They showed a world filled with great wonders and it's positive effects. But during these grand promotions, why didn't they include the important details like the effect it would have on the planet and us. Based on historical documents, photos and several articles, I will agree that the inventors of the Futurama and similar exhibits at the 1939-40s World's Fair bear some responsibilities to the cause of the problem of global warming by promoting a vision of suburbia that relied on cars and consumerism.
David Gelernter states, "Many people still can't afford the suburbs; but please let's contemplate, just for a moment, the vast numbers who can. Their lives are not sheer heaven on earth. By and large they are merely comfortable." ( Gelernter 28) This is an interesting and important quote because he signifies that the rich that can afford the life style that the Futurama presented aren't even happy about it, they just have it because they can.
Another quote that can support my argument is in Kenneth Buttons article, Transport and Global Warming Gases. "More important, if indeed emissions of CO2 are harmful for the well being of future generations, is that these gases be limited in an efficient way. This may mean more or less transportation. It is quite possible that society, given a choice, may opt for increased use of transport with cutbacks in the use of carbon based fuels else where in the economy" (Button 100). We the people can make a significant difference in the reductions of global warming gases by simply transporting less or using different kind of fuel. But this is the kind of future the Futurama promoted for America, now the future generations must pay the price.

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #2

In the series Cosmos, it has a very exciting tone because it elaborates on each statement with interesting facts that keeps the viewers like myself interested and actually paying attention. I watched the episode Hiding in the Light, he explains with great details and vivid videos that makes it actually feel your in space looking down on our beloved planet.
 
I believe it is optimistic about humanistic values to find that our place in the Universe is so small because it shows how science has such a great impact on our daily lives that we go without notice. We're just a tiny spic in this grand universe, in the cosmos. It opens the viewers eyes to the fact that there's way more than beyond the Milky Way, just the thought of it makes the mind wander.
 
I think the show values science and humanism because it shows the great aspects of science and the great dept humanity plays in it. In the show, it explains how Issac Newton was on the verge of discovering the different colors in sunlight, the spectrum. It's amazing how the show explains how scientist and philosophers explained what was so obvious to the human eyes that we simply bypass everyday.
 
It amazes me how Cosmos managed to pull in eight million viewers in it premiere because of the lack of intelligence us Americans have in science. I think us Americans that doesn't have interest in science, like myself, are now more interest in science because of the show. They don't just state the facts and the methods to it's theories. It uses vivid images and graphics that catches the human eye and makes us more interested in science.

Critical Thinking Blog Assignment #1

Hello my name is Jasmine Rodriguez, this is currently my third and last year in LaGuardia. My current major is Liberal Arts: Social Sciences and Humanities. When I continue on to my four year school, I want to pursue school counseling.
 
I think I am more of a Humanities person because I'm way more into the arts than science. I love creating writing and music. I've never been a fan of science only the basics to get me by in life. I've taken two music classes, Music for Children and The History of Music here in LaGuardia, in these classes I have learned how to play a flute so I can teach children and I learned music's history as far as Beethoven and Mozart.
 
I think most people think negative about science because there's just so much that they don't know. In the government's mind, "the less they know, the better". They being the "American People". Ever wonder why the majority of the federal funding goes to the science than the arts?
 
 Science does play a huge role in society today like with global warming, maybe people should start taking it more serious and science does prove that, but than again the arts are still as much as important it keeps us sane and reminds us that were still humane.