DOES TECHNOLOGY NEED TO BE ETHICAL?

In the modern world, where technology is developing in leaps and bounds, should we stop and think about the ethical implications of what we are doing? Or is there no room for ethics in the application of technology? Do your research, determine your position and support it.
Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         Does technology need to be ethical? https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/541797/anil-dash-tech-ethics/  

Reading material to make notes on

·         10 Emerging ethical dilemnas in science and technology https://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2014/12/10-emerging-ethical-dilemmas-science-and-technology

·         What are the ethical implications of emerging tech? https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/03/what-are-the-ethical-implications-of-emerging-tech/

·         The many ethical implications of emerging technologies https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-many-ethical-implications-of-emerging-technologies/  

·         Technology and the ethics of responsibility  http://www.metanexus.net/essay/technology-and-ethics-responsibility

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         We need a “moral” operating system https://www.ted.com/talks/damon_horowitz

·         Ethical issues regarding emerging technologies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLeDx0T5CSo

·          The Ethics and Tricks of Technology (Tristan Harris Pt. 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsUrOmwI82I

COMPARING TWO CITIES: MILAN AND HONG KONG

Note to the student: this is a relatively simple writing task which is suitable for pre intermediate students

View the galleries the links to which are provided below and decide which you would prefer to live in. Compare the two cities to prove that your choice is best:
Procedure:
Study the following gallery and note down adjectives you would use to describe Milan and your impressions of each photo in the gallery.
Milan: http://www.bbc.com/travel/gallery/20170925-why-milan-is-covering-its-skyscrapers-in-plants
Now do the same thing for Hong Kong

Hong Kong: http://www.bbc.com/capital/gallery/20170809-inside-chinas-skyscraper-capital
Look at the adjectives and the impressions you have noted and write a paragraph comparing the two cities.

THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND SPENDING BIG

“What drives people to spend thousands on products and experiences that could cost far less? Tiffanie Wen investigates.”  

By: Tiffanie Wen

Published: BBC, 9 October 2017, http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20171006-the-psychology-behind-spending-big

Level of difficulty: **

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Economics: Conspicuous Consumption https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I4xx5ZaWaM

·         Conspicuous Consumption - Carissa Explains It All #GOMLpodcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9zbQwv0WNY

QUESTIONS

1.       What surprising revelation is made concerning expensive products in the first paragraph?

2.       What conclusion can be drawn from the experiment involving wine and the one involving painkillers?

3.       What was the purpose of the MRI scans in the same experiments? To see if the subjects actually considered the expensive wine or pill to be good / better / best / worse.

4.       What mistaken belief leads buyers to splash out on more expensive alternatives?

5.       Read the example of the film. Why do people tend to make the choice they do?

6.       We understand from the text that people go for more expensive brands because…

7.       Watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1lnYyJ_d6w Why did Daniel Radcliff, Mike Tyson, Nicolas Cage, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, make the purchases they did? Because by doing so…

8.       What general reason is given for the desire to splash experienced by people in all walks of life?

9.       Watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oczSB5J2b4 . Why do people buy these goods?

10.   Is the trend mentioned in the previous question still valid today? Why?

11.   Read the conclusion. People mistakenly assume that spending big will ensure happiness but they are wrong because…. The best alternative is ….

WRITING TASK

Use all the information you have gleaned to write about the reasons for spending big.

THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND SPENDING BIG KEY AND TEACHERS’ NOTES

In this age of consumerism where positional goods are the order of the day, analyzing the underlying reasons for splashing out should be interesting. The students will probably be able to predict a lot of what is in the text and perhaps supply some additional reasons. It should lead to an interesting writing task.

1.       People rate them more highly and enjoy them more

2.       Price matters so much to our understanding of value that we sometimes rate pricey things…

3.       Better

4.       If an item is twice as expensive it is twice as good

5.       They are trying to get to that totally amazing experience even at the risk of getting a truly bad one (We are motivated to splurge because we’re seeking peak experiences won’t fit because ticket prices are the same for all films)

6.       There is an extra boost when you go up in the quality of experiences

7.       They obtain a sense of accomplishment and progress, and enhance their self worth

8.       To build the experiential cv

9.       To signal they are successful.

10.   No it isn’t. Because the deluge of material goods means that they are not as rare or scarce or luxurious as in the past.

11.   Splurging on items for ourselves is finite and doesn’t add up to increases of happiness over time;  giving to others

SEASTEADING

The population of the world is soaring and as a result, we are rapidly running out of space to build. What if we started focusing on an alternative place to build homes: the sea? Seasteading, a word which is formed by the word “sea” and the “stead” of “homestead”, could be the answer to the problem. Do your research and find out more about this new trend and discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  

Have a look

·       https://www.google.com.tr/search?q=seasteading&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjp92b_4jYAhWCSBQKHVc1D1MQ_AUICygC&biw=1152&bih=635&dpr=1.25

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         What is seasteading? https://www.marineinsight.com/future-shipping/what-is-seasteading/

·         The floating city project https://www.seasteading.org/floating-city-project/  

Reading material to make notes on

·         Why fake islands might be a real boon for science https://www.nature.com/news/why-fake-islands-might-be-a-real-boon-for-science-1.22752

·         The seasteading movement imagines floating cities in the sea https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-07-09/seasteading-movement-imagines-floating-cities-sea (Make sure to listen as you read)

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         Floating cities will exist by 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B6eqU6sqNk

·         The inside story of Floating Islands in Indonesia https://www.seasteading.org/2017/09/the-story-of-floating-islands-in-french-polynesia/

·         SeaSteading- Building on the Platform of the Oceans: Patri Friedman at TEDxSF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maLAMwhTjHk  

·         How seasteading restores the environment https://www.seasteading.org/2009/05/design-contest-winners/  

WHY TALKING TO YOURSELF IS THE FIRST SIGN OF SUCCESS

“A London dentist stopped looking in other people’s mouths and started opening his own. The result may be something for everyone to chew on.”

By: Bryan Borzykovski

Published: BBC, 28 April 2017, http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170428-why-talking-to-yourself-is-the-first-sign-of-success

Level of Difficulty: *

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Talk to yourself, it’s good for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGWpgFNKeJU

·         It is not crazy to talk to yourself right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvLaVHINGoA

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the first paragraph of the text. At first glance, which of the following do you think apply/ applies to Gamble?

He seems mad

He is having a mid life crisis

He is doomed to be disappointed

All of the above

None of the above

2.       What unusual piece of advice was Gamble given?

3.       Why did the business coach advise Gamble to speak out loud?

4.       Read the two experiments described in the text. Why were those who said the name out loud more successful?

5.       Acc to Schaef, talking out loud helps relieve tension because it satisfies the need to…

6.       The above won’t work if ….

7.       The probable reason for the conclusion Kross reached in his experiments is the fact that talking in the first person makes one objective / makes one subjective / makes one self critical / prevents one from seeing the bigger picture / prevents one from distancing oneself / makes one stressful. Mark the one(s) that don’t fit.

8.       What does learning to play the piano have in common with practicing for a presentation? In both cases,…………………………is important and needs to be developed.

9.        The 2008 study demonstrated that kids are more uninhibited / less shy / more comfortable/ more self conscious  when talking out loud.

10.   We could also say that the adage stating “we should learn from our elders” is true / is not always true.
        WRITING TASK
      Use all you have learnt to write a paragraph about the advantages of talking  to yourself.

WHY TALKING TO YOURSELF IS THE FIRST SIGN OF SUCCESS; KEY AND TEACHERS’ NOTES

This simple psychology text offers some useful advice while helping to introduce some mini-inferential questions. There is no harm in starting as you mean to go on. Hopefully the content of the text will make the task go swimmingly.

1.       All of the above

2.       He was told to speak out loud

3.       Because self-talk can help memory recall, confidence, focus and more

4.       Because saying the name out loud is a powerful retrieval clue (The rest of the paragraph is support for this sentence, the topic sentence. The last sentence will only work if the reference is replaced)

5.       Talk to someone who’s interesting, intelligent, knows us well and is on our side

6.       We don’t say the right words; OR If we speak in the first person

7.       Objective, makes one stressful

8.       Muscle memory
9.    More Comfortable

9.       Is not always true

ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT

Electronic waste is not something people think about too much as they continually chase after the latest İPhones, throw out tablet computers and laptops as if there is no tomorrow. However, e-waste is a serious problem and needs to be tackled before it is too late. Do your research to familiarize yourself with the issue, then discuss the reasons why we need to address it and what specifically we can do about it. 

Note to the student: This task is not solely a "cause and effect" essay and not solely a "problem solution" essay. It is a combination of both. 
Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         What is e-waste? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ixtgA9uMs

·         E-waste… A big issue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5oi4QOeQ3I

·         E-waste Solution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh8g1W1tvxI

Reading material to make notes on

·         The e-waste problem, hazards and solutions http://www.thewindowsclub.com/e-waste-management

·         How and why you should recycle smartphones http://www.thewindowsclub.com/recycle-smartphones

·         Environmentally sound options for e-waste management http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/paper/ewaste/ewaste.html

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         Putting an end to electronic waste | Janet Gunter | TEDxBrixton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1a8J1pmYQ

Electronic waste and the threat to resource security: Ian Williams at TEDxSouthamptonUniversity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiahTEGJMAI

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE RUBBISH WE PRODUCE

The amount of rubbish we produce each day is mounting at an alarming rate and it is obvious that we cannot keep dumping it in nature. What makes sense is using this rubbish in a useful and productive way but how can this be achieved? Do your research and find out; then write an essay discussing the solutions to our problem of rubbish.

Familiarize yourself with the issue

·         How to destroy the world - Rubbish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKvVk1T6U4

·         A rubbish map https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/06/daily-chart-3

·         A world without waste | Adam Johnson | TEDxPerth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NclY3MCQqg

Reading material to make notes on

·         How to stop humans from filling the world with trash https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/future-of-trash/395279/

·         How the fashion industry is helping the world’s rubbish problem  http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/how-the-fashion-industry-is-helping-the-worlds-rubbish-problem-a7052826.html

·         10 Ways to improve your recycling https://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-recycling.html

·         Waste disposal http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/waste-disposal

Videos to watch and take notes from

·         How will we deal with all of the world’s rubbish? http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171003-how-will-we-deal-all-of-the-worlds-rubbish?ocid=global_future_rss&ocid=global_bbccom_email_04102017_future

·         How do we solve the trash problem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg1tEKILiR4

·         Waste as Resource: Kevin Scoble at TEDxFortMcMurray https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqf3xTTCiu8

     Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/