Looking back at the two readings Kim Vicente’s “The Human Factor” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cats Craddle” they both have different views and ways of expressing their view on technology. Technology is a very complex word and it can mean a variety of things ranging from the high-tech machinery to something softer as work schedules. What would life be like with out technology? Where is the line drawn, when people are satisfied with the things around us and not become greedy and want more? Can the human mind understand the improved way of living? “More and more, we’re being asked to live with technology that is technically reliable, because it was created to fit our knowledge of the physical world, but that is so complex or so counterintuitive that it’s actually unusable by most human beings.” This quote from Vicente analyzes the human factor and how technology and the human mind go hand in hand, but do technology shape humans or do humans shape technology? With inventing this new technology, it has to be put into consideration if humans have the mind power and ability to be able to work the machinery. Such as in Vicente with the power plant that exploded. The worker did not fully understand how to use the machinery until it was too late.
In Cat’s Craddle, the same message is being portrayed if technology is getting too advanced for the human mind or even the environment. Dr. Hoenikker created ice-nine with the intensions of helping the marines cross swamps during combat, yet he didn’t put into consideration on how it would effect the environment and things around it, or so it seems.
” And the pools and the streams in the frozen much?”
“They would freeze?”
“You bet they would! He cried “And the United States Marines would rise from the swamps and march on!”
In the quote above, I feel that it shows that Dr. Hoenikker didn’t care about what damages ice-nine would cause to the areas around it and only focusing on the success and honor he felt with inventing such a powerful thing. People like Dr. Hoenikker creating such advance technology will cause problems if it gets into the wrong hands. I feel that technology is very useful in making our everyday live easier, but if people like Dr. Hoenikker are making such advanced ways of living, soon there will be a technology for everything and humans wont have to use their hands to survive. Humans will become dependent on the things around them and soon won’t have to use their minds to complete a simple task.
Technology can mean different things to people. People may see technology as just materialistic things such as electronics or cars and others may see technology as a challenge. Everyday scientists and doctors are feeling the pressure of getting the cure for an illness or a way for something to move faster. The challenge to make something so great could be too advanced for the human mind, making it hard to operate, causing problems.
The human mind is very greedy and always wanting to be better and do better and technology is the guinea pig. Therefore I feel that technology will never stop advancing. There will always be someone who wants the honor and power of inventing something that will make life on earth easier. In both stories, there were examples of how advanced technology is and frustrating to the normal human mind and if used wrong, deadly. Even though technology is made by humans, there is going to human error, but when is it going to be too much error that there should be a ban on advanced technology being invented?
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In your first paragraph, I think there is a lot of good points and info so maybe you should break it down a little more and really get into some of the questions you posted.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was good that you really put your opinion in throughout the whole paper, it gives it personality.
Nice job describing the quote in the middle about Ice Nine.
I know you talked about how technology is a never ending process that will not stop, but what happens then? Will technology someday take over? Or will it die down?
You had a good opening paragraph and a lot of good questions to get the reader to really start thinking about technology, that was great. You also have good amounts of information as a starter, but since this is kind of short I thought maybe you could use those questions you asked in the opening paragraph and use them all throughout your paper. try to answer them or maybe talk about things that would provide more information about each question so the reader could come up with their own conclusions or answers about the questions. I think that could make a pretty interesting paper/essay for someone to read!
ReplyDeleteBesides those minor adjustments and giving more information, I think you have a great start to a paper. Your information is good and your details and opinions are good. I think the final will be a really interesting paper with all your good information. :)
I liked how you used references such as the marine talking to Dr. Hoenikker about creating something that would allow mud to freeze. This particular part of your paper was really good and it flowed in really well. I noticed that you had some good questions but you didn't input your ideas into it. You're going to need to write down your answers and most importantly your opinion about the authors because it's the most important part of the essay allowing the readers to understand your point of view vs. Vicente's/Vonnegut's.
ReplyDeleteYour opening paragraph is very good it opens up the reader and makes you think. Also throughout your paper you use good examples from the text but using quotes. The whole paper kept constant clarity throughout so it wasnt like you got off track and rambled on. You asked questions and then asnwered them which was a good idea. it was a very good start to your essay. ending with a question which kind of leads the reader to be think which is a good strategy. the paper is a little on the short side so maybe you could expand on more of your ideas like answering the questions to make it the 3 pages.
ReplyDeleteGood introductory paragraph. Well thought out I think. I like how you asked questions right away. I think that this helps a paper because it gives you the opportunity to see others opinions and are able to define your answers later possibly. I like how you point out the fact that the scientists don’t quite well understand the impact of Ice-nine. They see the use of technology, as a bad thing and that it should be used in a way of getting the upper hand in military ways. It shows the time period though. During the Cold War, it was always a race for arms and technology. I think you brought out a point, which shows the time period, perhaps maybe elaborate on it more? The other possibility is to compare Vicente’s thoughts on technology with Vonnegut and compare their technology uses such as the Chernobyl incident to Ice-nice. Might give you more opportunities.
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