http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21599763-womens-lowly-status-japanese-workplace-has-barely-improved-decades-and-country

Women in the workforce

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mehroz-baig/women-in-the-workforce-wh_b_4462455.html

I came across this post and I thought it was really interesting to see that the growth of women throughout the workforce has grown quite a bit since the 1970's and more and more women are going to work instead of being the traditional stay at home mother. It was also interesting to read that women make about $.77 to a dollar a man makes. I personally dont think this is fair because if were doing the same amount of work as men are we should be getting paid the same as well. It seems as if equality still hasnt been completely reached. Let me know what you guys think!

Women in Science and Technology

Women in Science and Technology

Image taken from: http://www.uvu.edu/cte/wistem/

Women in Science and Technology - What Does the Literature Say?

Although, we know that women have played a key role in advancements in the evolution of science and technology, from being the first "human computers" during war efforts to having a hand in further advancing computer technology in the early twentieth century.  According to this report (link above), there is a big gap in the number of skilled professional women who are disciplined in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 

It would further seem that the lack of women acquiring these skills hinders the ability for a nation to achieve technological advancements needed for the populace to grow as a nation.  It is documented that obtaining the right balance between men and women in STEM offers a full comprehensive understanding of a specific subject than not.  And by having a more inclusive workforce that includes a diverse group of backgrounds, cultures and interests aids in the development of innovation and productivity. 

"The untapped potential of fully trained and credentialed women who might be interested in STEM but choose not to pursue degrees in these fields or who decide to change careers because of obstacles, real or perceived, represents an important lost opportunity not only for women themselves but also for society as a whole" (Castillo, R., Grazzi, M, & Tacsir, E., 2014)

Some of these perceived obstacles as indicated within this report remain the many stereotypes that continue to haunt women to this day; such as women are not as motivated as men, women are more interested in family rather than careers and women are not as competitive as men.  This report does a fine job at debunking these myths but how can we as a society encourage more women to pursue education in STEM?

Should we be able to modify human genetics?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/08/human-gene-editing-pro-con-opinions/
I feel the need to compare gene editing plastic surgery. Today, plastic surgery is only performed on the very young when a deformity keeps them from functioning normally. Plastic surgery performed for purely aesthetic reasons is typically reserved for adults who can make informed decisions and give consent. I think gene editing  when necessary editing will be performed early on and elected editing will be open to consenting adults

Should We Create Genetically Modified Humans?

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/24/opinion/genetically-modified-babies.html?_r=0

The article discusses the science behind mitochondrial manipulation. The author discusses the ethical reasons of creating genetically altered babies. There are many pros to changing the genetic code of ill babies such as, the end of hereditary disorders. The article also mentions the cons of shaping the genetic code such as, how will the genetic changes effect later generations. Do you agree with altering the genes of humans? How far should we go to changing the Human DNA?

Is Technology Leading us to a Totalitarian Society?

Is Technology Leading us to a Totalitarian Society?

Scientific American: Policy & Ethics

Will Democracy Survive Big Data and Artificial Intelligence?

We are in the middle of a technological upheaval that will transform the way society is organized. We must make the right decisions now

This article found on Scientific American, outlines a world where technology will eventually lead us to a completely programmed society, where algorithms dictate who we are and what we think.  It is predicted that supercomputers will eventually surpass and replace a large part of human capabilities in the next 10 - 20 years, where approximately half of today's jobs will be threatened by algorithms.

"Technology visionaries, such as Elon Musk from Tesla Motors, Bill Gates from Microsoft and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, are warning that super-intelligence is a serious danger for humanity, possibly even more dangerous than nuclear weapons."

In Singapore today, a data-controlled society was implemented as a program to protect its citizens from terrorism, which eventually ended up influencing their economy, immigration policies, property markets and schools.  China is following suit with their version of Google, Baidu.  With Baidu, China was able to implement a project called the China Brain Project from which they involved their military to take part of and run deep learning algorithms collected about their users over the search engine.  The beginning of implementing a form of social control is realized by using these algorithms to determine which of China's citizens have the right to obtain loans, work, and travel. 

"If our judgments and decisions are predetermined by algorithms, however, this truly leads to a brainwashing of the people. Intelligent beings are downgraded to mere receivers of commands, who automatically respond to stimuli"

If our society were to be manipulated and/or nudged towards an outcome predetermined by someone/some thing other than ourselves, than what kind of quality of life can we expect for ourselves and future generations when all things are predetermined for us? 

This article further outlines specific fundamental principles to avoid the inherent disasters that will eventually come from a data-controlled society.  Should we heed the warnings that are sure to effect our lives in the near future?  How do we begin protecting our civil rights in an age where technology is advancing so rapidly than generate severe loopholes in the laws put in place to ensure democracy?   To find out more, I encourage you to fully read this article, although it is quite long, it is not only informative but very enlightening. 

Women & Forced Sterilization

https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/against-her-will-20111003.pdf

Hello friends,

This is the article we had to read on eCampus about women and forced/coerced sterilization. I honestly had no idea that these practices are still happening as often as they are in the United States, and it's sickening to me how they are brought out. In my eyes, this is a form of controlling women's bodies for the sake of eugenics and having a way to pick out the people who are deemed "unfit" for society. But why are those who are sterilized mostly women? Why are they mostly lower class with disabilities? Instead of blaming & PUNISHING these women for their situation, why don't we look at the institutions that FAIL them and land them in their current circumstances?

Let me know what you think. I'm seething, to be quite honest.

-Julie

History of Eugenics in North Carolina and Justice for its Victims

http://www.msnbc.com/all/eugenic-sterilization-victims-belated-justice

The article discusses the history of eugenics within the United States, specifically North Carolina. Women were sterilized, especially African-American women, for various reasons such as, mentally challenged, low IQ and being unable to assume adequate moral and social responsibility. The article also mentions actions taken by different organizations to help victims of sterilization. What is your opinion about the article? Should the victims receive some sort of reparations?