Purpose
The Technology essay (a classical argument) is designed to develop your ability to argue effectively using reasoning and textual (source) evidence, to think critically, and to understand an issue from various perspectives. The complete, final essay assignment is the prerequisite for participation in and credit on the Technology essay seminar, if assigned.
Tasks
Read and annotate (or take notes on) the following articles:
“Why Nothing Works Anymore (Links to an external site.)” – Bogost https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-nothing-works-anymore
“A Scientist Predicts the Future (Links to an external site.)” – Kaku (alt. source: A Scientist Predicts the Future – Kaku (New York Times).docx) https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/28/opinion/kaku-a-scientist-predicts-the-future.html
“At Tech’s Leading Edge, Worry About a Concentration of Power (Links to an external site.)” – Lohr (alt. link: Lohr article in .pdf file from pitt.edu (Links to an external site.)) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/technology/ai-computer-expense.html
“What Makes Technology Good or Bad for Us? (Links to an external site.)” – Clark https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_makes_technology_good_or_bad_for_us
“MIT Report Examines How to Make Technology Work for Society (Links to an external site.)” – Dizikes http://news.mit.edu/2019/work-future-report-technology-jobs-society-0904
Think about what they say about how technology affects our lives and our social and governmental institutions. Then write an essay based on these readings that takes and defends a stance on the issue question:
Based on our assigned readings so far, what factor is the most important in how current and emerging technologies will affect our lives and our social and governmental institutions?
(Another way of phrasing the question: Which technology-related issue is most important for us to address, both now and in the future?)
Technology-related issues might include:
whether the development of new technologies is guided by ethical principles or by profits;
who controls the development of new technologies;
how new technologies will affect people’s jobs;
how social media technologies affect people;
how widely available new technologies will be (i.e., will some technologies only be available to the rich?);
what advantages new technologies can provide;
how technologies affect the environment; and
to what degree information technologies help to support or suppress democracy.
The essay needs to answer the issue question directly in a thesis statement. It must defend that thesis consistently in the body through reasoning and supporting evidence. It also needs to incorporate refutation of alternate positions. The essay should cite evidence from our assigned readings to support its claims.
