One college girl's attempt at being profound

From a Printing Press to a Computer...

2006-04-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

Assignment MT 6.2
April 24, 2006

As societal technology moves forward and new advances are discovered, new metaphorical comparisons are available for use. There are more technological gadgets in this decade than there ever has been before and we can expect even more in the near future. It's no surprise that metaphors for the human mind have changed over time as well. If printing presses are no longer used in common practice, then a metaphor using a press as model would begin to lose it's effectiveness. The implications of a switch like this are that we must understand the workings of the new technology (the computer) in order to understand the comparison this metaphor represents. With all new technology comes a period of learning in which we accustom ourselves to a new way of accomplishing our tasks, both small and large. When a new concept is used in a metaphor we must set ourselves to the task of understanding it, and our world, in a new context.

The "old" metaphor compared the human mind to a printing press. This suggests that memories and information leave lasting impressions that may take time to create depending on the size. Unfortunately, when looking at this metaphor from a 2006 point of view I find it lacking. The printing press is unconected to the world and has a limited amount of space with which to work. The human mind can connect itself to the world using telephones and other technologies. Our minds can also work on many things at once and store a vast amount of information without running out of space. Printing presses also only record data, they do not process it. There is no critical thinking- only recording of information. Though this metaphor might have been a good comparison in the past, over time it has lost it's effectiveness.

The mind as a computer is a much better model for understanding. Computers allow you to change the data, save it, erase it, manipulate it, and critically process complex bits of data. It has nearly unlimited capacity for both simpultaneous work and storage space. The modern computer gives the user the option to connect themselves with people and information located in other parts of the world. Computers are much faster than a printing press since they can start their functions internally and simultaneously, where one would have to literally "build" the information on a press before it could be recorded.
It is natural for our language of metaphors to change with the advancement of our society. Metaphors help us understand the world around us- especially things that are often otherwise unexplainable. In order to keep these comparisons working successfully for us we must adapt to what is changing in our culture, both techologicaly and socially. The switch from the mind as a printing press to the mind as a computer is a natural change that benefits all of society.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the "old"metaphors still have use long after they are put to rest. They show us where we came from and allow us to compare our current world to those of our ancestors. Just like history allows us to appreciate how far we have come, past metaphors provide a basis to judge our progression as a society.

Metaphors for the Human Mind

2006-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Assignment MT 6.3
April 21, 2006

The mind is such a complex component of our bodies. As of yet, we still haven't been able to make up a definitive model to demonstrate it's activities that we can all agree on. The many authors represented in this collection of metaphors are all attempting to explain an emotion's presence in a human's outward personality. Depression, hysteria, fear- these are the emotions that are analyzed and exemplified by metaphors.

One of my favorite metaphors is David Burns' comparison of the mind to an AM/FM Radio. His suggestion is that the problem of depression is not a result of real defects in the brain or uncontrollable "break" in the wiring somewhere in our minds. His metaphor leads us to believe that one merely has to adjust the frequency of our minds to bring ourselves out of a depressed state of mind. The action that accompanies this metaphor suggests that the answer to our issues with depression or other problematic emotions is simply to make a concious decison to "change the channel"

Freud also had a very interesting metaphor for the mind in regards to hysteria or fear. He compared the mind to an excavation site of ruins. This suggests that with the help of an excavation team anyone can unbury their most deepest fears or emotions and lay them bare to be dissolved. The model for action with this metaphor is that we can, with the help of fellow "diggers" uncover things in our minds that cause us problems. This could be the way we maintain peace of mind or mental health.

Rosenthal's metaphor of the mind as a washing machine was interesting, but difficult to understand. She suggested the levels of seratonin that control our depression or happiness are like water levels in the washing machine. However, she does not take the metaphor to a deeper level. What happens if the power goes out? Do we die? What about water temperature, if the water heater is broken? What would that do to our state of mind. Then we get to the question of who would activate the machine itself? Washing machines need a person to pick a cycle, add ingredients for washing, and then start the process. Are we to assume that Rosenthal believes we start our own cycles? It is an interesting metaphor, but does not cover as many complexities as Freud's and Burn's ideas.

MPD...Illness or Possession?

2006-04-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

Assignment MT 4.2
April 19, 2006

The differences between a person having an illness and being possessed are many. Illness suggests that the affected person is a victim of a force beyond their control. Unwelcome symptoms accompany illnesses that may sometimes be treated, but overall plague the patient until a cure can be found. The vicitm in this situation did nothing to contract such an illness nor can he/she be blamed for it's existence. The actions of person with mental illness are justified by the fact that the patients do not have control of their mental faculties and therefor cannot be held accountable.

A person possessed may have horrible sypmtoms as well. Possession, however, is of a spiritual nature rather than medical so treatments are more difficult to formulate. Since there is no medical reasoning behind a person becoming possessed there is reason to look for something or someone to blame for the affliction. Usually society balmes the person possessed for committing sins that neccessitated in their being taken over by the devil. Other times a person might be found to be too weak and therefore an easy target for satanic spirits. The actions of a person possessed are looked upon with disappointment and fear. When the devil is inside someone most people believe that the real person is also still present and functioning. Any actions that come from the possession, then, are the fault and responsibility of both the spirit and the afflicted.

The way we act toward these two different afflictions is drastically different. We pity people with illnesses because we view them as innocent. We also realize that we too could become ill at any moment in our own lives. Society caters to the sick for these reasons. Family members and strangers alike will help the ill and offer whatever aid they have available. Possessions frighten the general population. We sometimes chastise those possessed since we believe that the possession is indeed their fault. Help is mostly offered by friends and family who refuse to abandon their loved one. Strangers flee from the possessed mostly because they are afraid of what they cannot control; but they are also reluctant to help someone whos affliction is their own fault in the first place.

Anger as a Metaphor

2006-04-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

Assignment MT 1.2
April 10, 2006

The anger = dynamite metaphor describes the stereotyical version of anger that most people believe they experience. The emotion itself tends to get people "steamed" or "red hot" about an issue or towards a person. This metaphor signifies a lack of control or the possibility of explosion without warning. Dynamite and explosions are typically forces that are used for the purpose of destruction. In the case of anger being explosive, that destruction is usually directed at the catalyst for the anger. Unfortunatley, this metaphor fails to encapsulate the versatility of human emotions. No emotion is one sided or easily defined. Love can be so passionate it's painful, yet a source of healing at other times. Happiness can mean contentment or complete rapture. Similarly, anger can be explosive or, as Blake suggests, a slow and poisonous force.

The narrator in Blake's poem, The Poison Tree, describes the slow growth of his anger that ultimately comes to fruition in a poisonous apple. This metapor shows the surreptitious, decietful, slow, passion-filled side of anger. The narrator doesn't seem out of control, but rather a malicious entity that is willing to wait for the perfect time/ way to retaliate against his foe. There are no explosions here, no outward bursts of emotion. Here, the narrator has the control and the patience to channel his anger into a sneaky plan of attack.

Some sentences that might illustrate Blake's metaphor are:

My anger is growing.
My hatred has blossomed.
Your death is the fruit of my anger.
Your actions feed my anger.

Writing as More than a Technology

2006-04-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

April 5, 2006
Assignment MT intro.2

The current definitions of “writing” according to dictionary.com are:
a.) To form letters, words, or symbols on a surface such as paper with and instrument such as a pen.
b.) To compose and set down, especially in literary or musical form.
c.) To communicate by correspondence, or express in writing.

To see writing as a technology one must look at how we define technology. Most
people believe that technology can be anything that provides a more efficient way of doing something. For our generation this usually means electronics that do more things at once and faster. These gadgets invade our society multiple times a year. But what about the obsolete gadgets that used to be new? Video Cassette Recorders (VCR’s) used to be the hot new item on tech-store shelves. Now that there are new and better ways to perform VCR functions does that mean VCRs are no longer technology?

Similarly, writing used to be an innovation that revolutionized societies across our world. It gave humans a way to express their thoughts, record information, and communicate over distance and time. Cellular telephones perform those same functions for us today. But could we have created them without writing? Of course not. The argument that writing cannot be called a technology simply because it’s not a new-fangled gadget sold at Sharper Image stores does not carry any weight.

Technology began with fire, the wheel, and writing. Since then everytime something new has been created it has been because writing allowed for information to be analyzed and passed on or the technology itself uses writing. Cell phones for example provide text messaging capabilities that allow us to write to each other in the virtual world. Computers have given us new ways to archive our writing, analyze it, edit it, and send it. When all is said and done, however, technologies like cell phones and computers only provide vehicles for writing to be expressed. The writing itself is still the building block of innovation.

Humans use writing in ways they do not use conventional technologies like electronics. In an effort to find a path in life students rely on family journals, classic novels, and century-old poetry. These are the essential, important documents that attack life’s most difficult lessons. Any of these literary works could be digitized on a computer, but their meaning and value to our society cannot be taken away. Nor can that same value be found by becoming an avid text-messenger or a computer- whiz. When you consider it compared to the innovative gadgets of the current generation, writing is far more important and widely used. It is both the building block and future of our society.

Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words

2006-04-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

April 3, 2006
Assignment TI 4.2

Advertisement 1: Sean John’s fragrance for men…”Unforgivable”
This advertisement is a black and white photo depicting 2 women and one man in a bed. One woman (an Asian) has her head in the lap of a black man and she is looking at the ground. The only part of her body showing is her shoulder; the rest is off the page. The man has his legs spread with a sheet draped loosely over his private region. He has one hand on the back of the woman in his lap and is leaning his head on the other hand, braced on his knee. He is staring straight into the camera. In the background, there is a white woman with her back against the wall. She is holding the sheet over her breasts with one hand and resting her other hand on her brow. She is staring straight into the camera.

This picture clearly suggests a sexual encounter with three people. None of the three are smiling and one woman seems to be favored over the other. Since the name of the fragrance being advertised is “unforgivable” the actions taking place in the picture suggest deceit, betrayal, and/or someone being taken advantage of emotionally or sexually. The fragrance seems to represent a sexuality that has no rules and can allow a man to have or to do whatever he wishes with whoever he wishes. It suggests beautiful women will not deny a man wearing it anything he wants, whether they enjoy it or not. This Ad portrays women as objects to be used and as people who do not deserve proper emotional consideration or compassion.

Advertisement 2: Johnson’s extra care body wash and lotion
This advertisement shows a young mother holding her baby and smiling. She is sitting on the ground with her knees up and her legs crossed. The baby is naked and the mother is wearing a pink tank top (and seemingly no bottoms).

This entire image is a wash of pink/ peach tones. At first glance all we see is skin. However, both mother and child look comfortable, soft, and completely loveable. This suggests that mothers who love their babies as much as this woman does should use Johnson’s for baby lotion. It also suggests that the mother can use the lotion as well and may not only achieve baby-soft skin, but also a sexy glow and attitude. The text on the picture does not describe the benefits to the baby by using the lotion, but merely the benefits to the mother for using it herself.

Advertisement 3: Skyy Vodka
This advertisement is a picture of a high rise apartment with walls of all windows overlooking a major city at night. There is an egg shaped chair with a man sitting in it. He is wearing a suit, but the only things we can see of him are his legs and an arm reaching out holding a perfect looking martini with two olives. Standing in front of him is a skinny, beautiful woman in a very revealing black dress she has one arm braced on top of the chair and is holding a martini mixer in the other hand. She is looking seductively down into the chair.

This image suggests sexy nights, sexy people, and sexy looking drinks that may come out of drinking Skyy Vodka. It also suggests financial success that comes with the martinis that is reflected by the luxurious appearance of the apartment. The woman is portrayed as serving the man, both with alcohol and with her body. It appears that he does not even need to leave his chair to get what he wants. He simply sits back and everything comes to him. The Ad seems to say that men will acheieve everything from financial success to sexual satisfaction by drinking this brand of Vodka.

Advertisement 4: Ralph Lauren “Romance” fragrance for women
This is a black and white picture showing a man and a woman clinging to each other in the wind. She has her head on his chest and is looking out into the world behind the camera. Her hands are lifting up his white button down shirt as she strokes his chest. She has her long hair down and messed up and is wearing a black cotton, strappy dress. He has one arm around her and the other is carrying is wadded up suit jacket. His black tie is loosed about his neck and his pants seem to be clinging loosely around his hips. He has his eyes closes and his chin resting on her head. His long hair is flowing in the wind.

The couple in this picture seems to be clinging to each other as if they are the only two people in the world. They are disheveled and wrinkled, yet don’t seem to care. They seem happy to be with one another, yet neither of them is smiling. This picture suggests a moment after sex in which both people are satisfied and completely infatuated with each other. This suggests that the fragrance being advertised will make you seem sexy and desireable which will lead you to find a partner and become wrapped in infatuation with him. Both man and woman are white and well dressed which suggests financial success.

Advertisement 5: Maidenform bras
This is a picture of a white woman with long, dark hair and dark, seductive makeup. She is sitting in a pile of white chiffon that could be a full skirt puffed around her. The room behind her is all white and the light is very soft. She is wearing only a white bra and is otherwise naked from 2 inches below her navel. She is not smiling. She has one hand in her lap and the other elbow resting on something to her left and her hand curled up on her shoulder.

This advertisement boasts a tagline of “…what dreams are made of.” This phrase has multiple meanings for both men and women who view the ad. Women could dream they look like this beautiful and sexy woman. They could also dream of owning this bra that is evidently so comfortable it is dream-like. The first thought I came to, however, was that men’s dreams are made up of women like this one. This is an ad that makes women want to be the object of men’s dreams. Thus, their first step toward that goal is to buy this sexy bra.

Extra Assignment

2006-04-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

April 3, 2006
Extra Assignment

(1.) “Whenever she wished for anything the dove would drop it like an egg upon the ground.” The image of a bird laying an egg is not a beautiful one. This is the simile Anne Sexton uses to describe the manner in which Cinderella receives her gifts. Similarly, the dance is described as a “marriage market”, the prince finds the glass slipper using wax, and as he “began to feel like a shoe salesman, he gave is once last try,” and finally fit Cinderella into the shoe. None of these images reflects the beauty that is usually found in fairytales.

(2.) The image of living “happily ever after” at the end of this poem is not attractive. Cinderella and the prince are depicted as living in a museum case with their smiles “pasted on.” They never get to live real life. They seem stuck in a world with no dust, no mistakes, and no growth. The image of “happily ever after” here is so stale and boring that is loses all of its appeal.

(3.) The slicing off of body parts to fit into Cinderella’s shoe could be viewed as a metaphor for today’s body-conscious society. Both men and women change their appearances with surgeries and drugs to fit into the mold of what bodies should look like based on media’s standards. The slicing off of toes and heels in this version of Cinderella is grotesque so it catches the reader’s attention and makes them understand the lengths to which people go to fit into a certain mold.

(4.) According to Jhally advertising tells us, as individuals, how we can become happy. These answers, however, are attached to goods in the marketplace. Advertisements connect possessions to important aspects in our lives, thus attempting to convince us that in order to be happy and fulfilled we need those objects. “As one advertising executive put it: ‘advertising doesn’t always mirror how people are acting but how they’re dreaming. In a sense what we’re doing is wrapping up your emotions and selling them back to you.”

(5.) The commodity-image system provides a “particular mode of self-validation that is integrally connected with what one has rather than what one is.” Jhally describes this system as one that constitutes a way of life that defines a person based on what they have. People are then motivated to purchase items that have attractive images attached to them.

Stigma and Social Identity

2006-04-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

March 10, 2006
Assignment TI 1.2

I thought the passage from Goffman’s Stigma and Social Identity was extremely interesting. Although it was intense reading and slightly difficult to understand the analysis of human perception was very honest and straightforward. The examples from other sources helped clear any confusion that might have existed from the text. Goffman’s points about self discovery can be related to Mary Shelley’s monster, Frankenstein. He noticed the reactions people had to him and formed an opinion about himself based on those perceptions.

Goffman vividly described how someone may notice how others view him/ her and shame, self doubt, and a feeling of failure can result. He said someone can be “intimately alive to what others see as his failing, inevitably causing him, if only for moments, to agree that he does indeed fall short of what he really ought to be. Shame becomes a central possibility, arising from the individual’s perception of one of his own attributes as being a defiling thing to possess…” Frankenstein does not feel self doubt or shame or self hatred until he sees other people’s reactions to him. After his realization that he is regarded as a monster (his stigma) he begins seeing himself that way as well and even starts to behave as such.

I think Goffman’s passage is support for the argument that Frankenstein learned about himself from others and not from literature or other technologies. It was the human interactions that seemed to upset him the most and that really changed his mental state and behaviors. When the monster read any literature he learned about society and culture. The realization of his stigma, however, caused him to use the knowledge he learned only to distance himself further from society- not join it. The social interactions he’d already encountered showed him that the world he read about in books would never accept him.

Creating Oneself in Media

2006-03-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

Assignment 5
February 27, 2006

Narrative as Technology: Creating Oneself in Media

Technologies
After studying different types of technology, storytelling, and mediums in the past 3 months I now understand how one story may change depending on the nature of its telling. Just like the Frankenstein movies were so different from the original novel- every medium has different goals and specifications to attend to. My autobiographical story is no different. From the two types of letters I wrote, to the story-boarding, to the website creation, different parts of the story are highlighted and sometimes even completely made up.

The letter writing portion of my autobiography was very educational for me. I had not realized how much I change my personality between my friends and my mother. The letter to my mom, or the public, reflects only how I am feeling at the time of the story. It gives examples of my uncharacteristic behavior, but does not blame or mention the other people at the party in relation to my discomfort. My reason for writing this way is because my mother would not want me to blame others for my own actions, nor would she want to hear me saying negative comments about people who are simply different from me. If this letter were to be published I know I would not offend anyone who might read it. In these two letters I focused on one main thing- considering my audience.

In writing to my best friend I was more honest. I trust that I have her confidentiality and need not worry that she will relay my thoughts to anyone else. I also trust that she will not judge me for saying negative things about another group of people. To her, I could actively describe how I felt in terms of how they made me feel. In this letter I actually place blame on the group of people at the wedding. My re-count of the story is harsher in this letter and tells more accurately my personal opinion without regard to others feelings.

The story-writing/ filmmaking aspect of my autobiography is where I actually changed the event. Turning the memory from letters into a story most people would be interested in required me to add more extra elements. Storyboarding the scenes with a partner helped me to realize that, without words, I had to find another way to convey my discomfort. My partner and I decided to include a scene where the character falls while at the wedding, adding to her embarrassment. There is also a scene of the character sitting at a table while everyone else ignores her. Neither of these scenes actually happened to me, but in order to show a film audience how the character in the story feels, these scences was necessary.

Creating a website changed my autobiography entirely. In trying to make an easy to use, simple, and attractive site I had to decide what to include and where. Some aspects of my life had to be placed into categories; some had to be completely eliminated from the site due to their inability to fit the structure I needed. The medium of a web site really dictated how my autobiography was presented, even down to what parts of my life were to be included. Trying to make my entire life fit into a site map structure was very difficult.

The Character
Once I decided to turn this event in my life into a story, I became a fictional character. Though the story started out as a piece of my personal life it changed into a tale that many people can relate to. I inserted scenes that never really happened to convey the emotion that I wanted. When people view my storyboard or my film I want them to identify with the girl in the story and what she is feeling. If I present myself as “Marci” the whole way through the story it would be much more difficult for my audience to put themselves in the main character’s shoes. The goal of my film is to make my audience feel what I felt. In order to do that, however, I need to remove myself from the story and use a character people are not already familiar with.

Writing the Character
I laid the groundwork for the character that was used in my story due to my personal experience in the situation. The medium of story-telling helped put my character in context in different situations. It showed decisions that the character makes, how others react to her, and maybe a little about how she is feeling. The specifics about the character however, and who she really becomes, is determined by the audience and is different for each person who views the story.

The audience makes their decisions about the character based on their own experiences and their mood at the time of the viewing. Their experiences generate past emotions that can be projected onto the character as she moves through the story. Her personality may change, as will her demeanor, and reactions to other characters. If an audience member had just gotten married, for example, they might think of the character in the story as a mean girl who couldn’t enjoy herself at a wonderful party and brought the other guests down with her.

The mood of an audience member also has an effect on the type of person a character becomes. If a viewer is mad or sad about something, they probably won’t enjoy the story and will most likely view the character as a mean or bad person and vice versa if a viewer is happy. When an audience member becomes uninterested in a story the character might fall into a vague category in the viewers mind and no real personality may come out at all.

Storytellers merely lay the groundwork for characters and situations. They can create as much drama as they like and describe as much detail as they possibly can. The power for really bringing a character to life lies in the hands of the audience. Each member is different and will “create” a different character than the next, but that is what makes storytelling to interesting. Any story, no matter what it is about or who wrote it, is left in the hands of the audience to bring to life. Without an audience a story is just an outline.

"Two roads Diverged in a Wood, and I, I chose the Yellow Brick One..."

2006-03-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Assignment 4.2
February 15, 2006

The narrative structure of the Wizard of Oz:
-Feeling of dissatisfaction- Dorothy singing at the beginning of “somewhere over the rainbow.”
-Fear- a visit to the fortune teller and ominous weather coming
-Destruction/ drastic change- tornado relocates house and Dorothy finds herself in Munchinland.
-Discovery- Dorothy meets kindred spirits who are also looking for something.
-Quest- they set out to find what they are looking for in Oz, helping each other along the way.
-Obstacle- the Wicked Witch tries to stop them from succeeding.
-Success- Dorothy and her friends find what they are looking for and all is set right again.
-Realization/ satisfaction- Dorothy learns about herself from her experience and finally finds happiness with her life.

This narrative structure includes many elements that exist in everyday life. In nearly any story about human struggle at least one of these elements can be found. This suggests that many modern biographies could fit into the Wizard of Oz narrative mold. We can assume from this that if we are virtuous and “good” people like Dorothy we will find our way down the metaphorical yellow brick road, past the wicked witches, and find ourselves back at a happy home.

We could also use this popular tale as a metaphor for our usage of technology. The story changes from black and white to color when Dorothy lands in Munchinland. This can serve as a symbol for someone turning on the television and being lost in the story displayed on it. Perhaps this story is an example of how technology can make even the most outlandish stories seem very real. Just as Dorothy gets lost in another world, we find ourselves in strange lands the second we turn to technology to entertain us.

What does Dorothy tell us about being a “good” viewer? When she finally returns to her home at the end of the story, Dorothy wakes up and learns that her whole experience was nothing but a dream. She is confused at first, but extremely relieved and happy when she realizes that she is at her house safe and sound with her family. Though it felt to her like she had been through a dangerous journey, she never really even left her house. Her inability to separate the real world from the dreamland can be an example to us of how deeply we can become involved in the worlds created for us by technology. This tale could be used as a warning: to always keep one foot in reality when experiencing the realm of technological entertainment. As Dorothy has shown us, it is easy to get lost.

"An Obvious Robot Roaming the City Would be in Quick Trouble."

2006-02-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

Assignment 2.2
February 8, 2006

“Oh, I see. You expected a rather crude model and were surprised. Yet it is only logical that our people use a robot of pronounced human characteristics in this case if we expected to avoid unpleasantness. Is that not so?”

It was certainly so. An obvious robot roaming the City would be in quick trouble. (chapter 2, page 25)

This excerpt from Daneel and Baley’s first conversation together supports the theory that robots with more human characteristics would be better accepted in our society. These robots would draw less attention to themselves because people wouldn’t immediately recognize them as machines. In our current society and among the Earthmen in Asimov’s novel, there is an expectation for robots to either resemble machines, or be very poor representations of human qualities. For example, Asimov explains that Baley “had expected a creature with a skin of a hard and glossy plastic, nearly dead white in color. He had expected an expression fixed at an unreal level of inane good humor. He had expected jerky, faintly uncertain motions (27).” It is clear from the moment Baley meets Daneel that he certainly was not the “fake” looking robot Baley was used to.

It is clear Daneel is more human-like. It is clear most humans could mistake him for a spacer. Are these things necessarily good or bad? For the case they are working on, Daneel’s ability to “blend in” to his new Earthman surroundings will prevent fearful humans from hindering the investigation. It is almost like Daneel is under cover. However, if we take Daneel out of this specific situation and consider mass producing machines like him the similarities that were once beneficial in a robot become very scary. Baley was deceived by Daneel because he couldn’t tell the difference between Daneel and a spacer. If humans already feel threatened by robots, how will they react to the knowledge that robots may be among them everyday and they won’t even be able to know who they are? It’s almost as if the robots are manufactured and then hide in human society.

Though humans interact better with living things because of characteristics like eyes, skin, fur, and variations of vocal sounds, mimicking those characteristics in something that is not living poses some very scary scenarios, people like to keep an eye on things that make them feel threatened. Humans like to have lights on when they are home alone, are terrified at the thought of being attacked from behind, and are often frightened by anonymous phone calls and e-mails. This is because humans have a fear of that which they can not see. Imagine creating robots that are so human-like that it becomes difficult to even tell if they really are a robot! The human tendency to mistrust and feat robots would be magnified exponentially if we could no longer identify who is and is not a machine.

As humans, we love to watch animals that display characteristics similar to our own. We often talk to them like they are human. If we go to the zoo and see chimpanzees waving to each other or holding hands we tend to call out to them or talk about them as if they are in relationships similar to our own. We talk about our pets as if they are human siblings or children. The reason we give non-human species human qualities is that they are natural beings. We do not really understand our own capacity for emotion or where it comes from. That means that we also don’t know the depth of emotion or personality that exists in other species. We like to believe in the idea that our pets can experience love and understand the things we say to them. Making a robot look more like a human will not lead us to accept them more. They are not natural beings and therefore have no capacity for real emotion as we understand it. No matter how much they “act” like us, we will never be able to project our own sense of personality upon them.

What Does it Mean to be Human?

2006-02-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

Assignment 2.1
February 3, 2006

What does it mean to be human?

Humans (scientists and philosophers aside) generally do not ask themselves this question. Simply- we are the most complex organisms on the earth, therefore we are superior. That explanation will placate the average human should they require some sort of explanation for our species. Yet, when technology begins to move away from simply improving efficiency and begins to actually simulate humans emotionally we immediately become defensive. Is it because we are afraid we are creating a new species that could rival ours? Or is it because we fear giving too much responsibility and power to a human-like machine that lacks the essential characteristics that make us human? What are those characteristics?

In the NPR article “Robot Receptionist Dishes Directions and Attitude,” Nell Boyce explained how Carnegie Mellon scientists created a robot named “Tank” to sit in the lobby of one of the science buildings on campus. Tank answers questions, badmouths his boss, and comes complete with a personal background that has shaped is “personality.” To make the robot more human computer science Professor Reid Simmons gave Tank the ability to show emotion. But Tank will never be able to ask a crying student “what’s wrong” as she passes by his desk; nor will be able to recognize the difference between a student and a burglar in the lobby. One could argue that the ability to process visual information, like tears or masks could be programmed. What if the girl is not actually crying? What if she just looks distraught when someone looks into her eyes? Humans have a unique, inexplicable ability to use their observation skills in a process of abstract thought that allows them to make decisions and interact with each other successfully.

In Asimov’s Caves of Steel robots are used to improve efficiency in the workforce. A problem arises, however, when robots are expected to successfully operate in complex human tasks that require subjective judgments and personal opinions. How could a robot be expected to work on a police force if it can’t process its observations like a human? No case would ever be solved successfully! In Asimov's novel, Daneel stumbles over interactions with humans anytime that abstract thought or emotion is involved. He simply does not understand it.

The ability to tell a student from a burglar is a specific example of the intuition humans possess that could never be duplicated in a machine. Therein our humanity lies. Other species have instincts like birds flying south for the winter, for example. A robotic bird might be programmed to direct itself south after a certain date or a drop in temperature. But what if the winter comes unexpectedly early or is a mild one and the temperature doesn’t really ever drop significantly? Only real birds have an innate ability to distinguish when and where to make their flight south.

Similarly, our human instincts bestow upon us an amazing ability to pick up on details about other’s emotions, behaviors, motives, and countless other traits to help us make decisions and judgments. It is that intuition that makes us the unique species we are. Perhaps it can be cleverly imitated by ambitious scientists, but its duplication is impossible. Instinct is something found in nature- in all living things. Robots, by definition, are created by man and therefore not really alive but merely operating. Because of this robots, no matter how advanced, will never be able to compete with humans save for tasks requiring speed or efficiency. For everything else they are simply inadequate.

Is Ignorance Bliss?

2006-02-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

Assignment 1.2
January 27, 2006

After his creation the monster knows nothing about the world he was brought into. When he encounters instant rejection by the new people around him and he flees to the Delacey’s property he finally gets a chance to witness human life. He begins to understand, by their actions and words, many aspects of life. He learns that compassion exists, that doing things to help others makes one feel good inside, and most importantly, he learns how to speak.

These vehicles- reading, writing, speaking- do not make the monster more violent. It is only at the point when he realizes how different he is from these people that he feels alienated and turns to violence. Over the course of his time on the Delacey’s property he begins to like the family and hope that they might have some compassion to spare him. The blind man shows kindness and the monster accepts it with wonder. The emotions that begin to grow in the monster make him more vulnerable. He begins to hope that he could have a normal life. However, when the children witness the monster they are terrified and alienate him once more. The change in behavior from the blind man to the children devastate the monster and his newfound hope of finding a place to belong in society.

Shelley uses this situation to give the monster a glimpse of real life filled with happiness and normalcy. She also uses this situation as a way to show the monster that he can never achieve that life. It is when this realization hits that the monster turns violent and is filled with rage. This short scene gives the novel a sense of perspective and a justification for the monster’s rage. Without this short scene the monster would not have a chance to witness the world of humans outside of Victor’s life. The Delacey’s give him something to hope for and when all hope is lost his rage consumes him.

A Comparison of Victor and Walton

2006-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Assignment NT 1.3
January 20, 2006

The early chapters of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein begin to explain how and why a person becomes completely consumed with a specific goal. In this novel, the dreams and goals of the characters revolve around scientific innovation and discovery. The relationship between Walton and Victor Frankenstein shows the reader how subtle differences in the motives behind the goals can turn an ambitious man into a dangerous scientist. In comparing these two men, Victor’s character becomes instantly more frightening. By using Walton as the initial character, Shelley makes him into a "foil" or point of reference for readers, making them extremely apprehensive of Victor when he is introduced pages later.

Walton and Victor do have many similarities in the motives for their work. First, both men desire the fame and acknowledgement that accompanies scientific discoveries. In Walton’s first letter to his sister he asks her, “do I not deserve to accomplish some great purpose?” Though he is thoroughly interested in all the improvements that would come about should his mission succeed, he feels that he is not only worthy of fame, but also deserves it. Victor admits a similar emotion in chapter 4 when he explains that “what had been the study and desire of the wisest men since the creation of the world was now within [his] grasp.” He, like Walton, wanted to set himself apart from the rest of the world and accomplish something extraordinary.

Both men also list the benefits that their research will bring to the world in the event of their success. Walton proclaims that “you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which [he] shall confer on all mankind…by discovering a passage near the pole…or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet.” He truly believes that these benefits can only be effected “by an undertaking such as [his].” Victor, though he lists less benefits than Walton, believes that he might eventually be able to “renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption.” He does want to make a valuable contribution to humanity, just as Walton does- even if his contribution is a bit more complicated then improving a trade route.

It is where the two men differ in their motives that Shelley makes her point. Walton is concerned with improving existing life and achieving fame. While the same motivations push Victor, he lets his imagination take him beyond the realm of reasonable thought. Victor believed he became “capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.” He became so excited and enticed by the possibilities this knowledge brought that he began imagining that “a new species would bless [him] as its creator and source;” and that “many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to [him].” These are very scary desires for one man to have- especially if such a man would be capable of actually achieving such a feat. Victor is suggesting creating a new world, one that would recognize him as both creator and ruler.

It is on this point that Shelley makes Victor and Walton different. By introducing Walton first, she shows the reader a scientist desiring of fame whose aim is to improve life. We begin to like Walton and wish for his success. The introduction of Victor shows us a scientist also desiring of fame, but whose ultimate aim is to create new life- life that would pay homage to him as its creator. By contrast Victor becomes a terrifying character that the reader becomes afraid to trust.

Since her reason for writing this novel was to create a scary story, her development of Victor Frankenstein in this way is extremely effective. He is not a scary looking man, he does not have murderous tendencies, and he is not portrayed as a monster. These are scare tactics that readers are used to. Shelley created a scientist with an amiable demeanor who was extremely smart and successful. It’s what he is capable of that scares us because it is unfamiliar and readers can’t understand science to the depth that Victors uses it. We can understand Walton, but are incapable of understanding Victor; Shelley knew people are often afraid of that which they do not understand.

Limit Science?

2006-01-20T12:20:00.000-08:00

Assignment NT 1.1
January 13, 2006

I do not feel that it is necessary to limit the work of scientists, but merely to monitor and control the nature of their research and to be weary of the implications of the results. In my opinion, Hawthorne's story "The Birthmark" is more about the definition of perfection and the balance between the love of science and the love of a human. This story raises questions as to whether or not perfection is attainable by changing physical appearances and whether or not a passion for science and a passion for a significant other can successfully co-exist in one person.

It seems that Hawthorne believes that scientists should be limited simply by the way he portrays Aylmer. The scientist in this story ends up making a huge mistake because of his research and ambition run amok. We are even led to believe by Hawthorne that Aylmer won’t view Georgiana’s death as a mistake at all, but as a scientific failure. The way Aylmer’s perspective throughout the story is constantly embedded in a quest for scientific improvement or in reason shows that the man is seemingly incapable of normal life. When he lets his scientific passions take over, his wife dies, and Hawthorne makes his final point: Aylmer “failed to look beyond the shadowy scope of time, and, living once for all eternity, to find the perfect future in the present.”

Hawthorne is trying to make readers take heed of his message and be wary of overly ambitious scientific actions; but he also makes a few other points. The issue of perfection is debated throughout the story. A “defect” in Aylmer’s opinion was thought to be a “charm” by Georgiana. Suitors looked on the birthmark as a “magical endowment,” and jealous females called it a “bloody hand.” There seemed to be no consensus on the nature of Georgiana’s mark- it simply meant something different to everyone. So how can perfection be reached when no two people will ever agree on what is perfect? The answer, we are to assume, is that perfection, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Perfection is achieved when a person can feel at peace with himself, can find a balance and harmony with the world around him. Only then will a sense of perfection come to the person searching for it. Even when this is achieved, however, outside perspectives will still suggest imperfections; but such is the nature of personal tastes, preferences, and opinions in humans. Thus, perfection, if it truly exists, is a state that can be achieved and enjoyed only by the individuals striving for it, for only they will recognize when they’ve reached it.

Hawthorne also raises questions about the ability of one human to successfully love science and another human simultaneously. In this story, Aylmer is so blinded by his passion for science and improvement, that he sacrifices his own wife. It can also be suggested that his reason for marrying her was for the purpose of experimenting on her, in which case his love for her might not even exist at all. Scientific thinking, if successful, requires specific methods of thinking and even dangerous perspectives on life. Aylmer’s opinion of perfection, for example, caused him to be so repulsed by a simple birthmark that he could do nothing else but focus his attention on removing it. If science requires its followers to be so rigid, so eccentric, and so passionate, then will there ever be room for the love of a human in any true scientist? The answer is no, and, even if there were, I would certainly not want to be the object of that love.