Inquiry and Critical Thinking

Animal in Labortary
Group Project--Digital Music Tech.

It was a very challenged assisgnment because I had to think critically on everything I analyzed. This assisgnment is also best illustrate the course goal--Critical thinking. It allowed me to think openly and observe both negative and positive consequences carefully on an issue. In addition, it disciplined me how to gather information and put them to support the arguement to make it more persuasible.

February 5, 2000

Argument: Should scientist be permitted to use humans and animals in laboratory experiments-- Assume there are many undefined diseases and viruses that are threatening to human lives, and scientists are not permitted to use humans and animals in laboratory experiments to find out the origin because of the restrictions that have been imposed on them. Hence the diseases and viruses expand larger and larger and the lives f human would be threatened even more. On the other hand, if scientists were permitted to use humans and animals as the victims to do laboratory experiments, in the conceptual of ethic, it is conscienceless. Yet, there is an argument whether the scientists should be permitted to use humans and animals in laboratory experiments or not if it is for medical reason.

In my view, scientists may use humans and animals in laboratory experiments for medical reasons as long as the efforts relieve the illness of people and increase our understanding of human structures and physical functions. Before I say anything to support my response, I would like to emphasize and clarify one thing: I did agree with the idea, but that does not mean it is correct. Nevertheless, I would rather have fewer amounts of people sacrificed now and save more lives in the future through the effort the scientists have researched and work out ideally. Furthermore, we should trust today's extremely advanced technological equipment and the ability of the scientists. I believe the efforts the scientists make and their experiment's success would distribute a very significant influence to humans. Every effort scientists make would bring human in a progression and increase our knowledge about our mystical structures.

The best method to approach the ethical issue on the use of humans and animals in laboratory experiments is to provisionally release our heart of ethic when it comes to a medical experiment that increases our understanding of human structures. In the other words, there should not any ethical issue confines on the experimenting because if we talk about ethic and then sometimes we might lose ethic at the same time. What I mean by that is when scientists could do experiments to research new medication that might help relieve people's unknown or incurable diseases. However they do not have the opportunity to do so because of the boundary that have confined them. On the contrary, they have to cover and conceal their morals and let the people die even they have the ability that might save the patients of doing experiment.

If scientists use humans in an experiment, the scientist must respect this person's will who is involved as an important concern. To take an example as if we are the patients with an incurable disease, we either choose to be tormented by the disease and confront death or seek a hope by experimenting which probably has a chance to recover. Yet, as we the patient are confronting such choices, we need to question what will we do? For me, rationally I would choose to be a victim and let scientists do research on me because either way I will be put in a dangerous position. So why do not I sacrifice myself and seek a hope for my own body to restore, besides my sacrificing may help develop further hope for other people if the experiment succeeded. Consequently, I think every being on the earth should have this kind of spirit of helping develop a better tomorrow for ourselves.

According to some information and reports shown, there are many examples of experiments that succeeded that prove to us that letting scientist to use humans and animals to experiment is a right step. For instance, in the past, there were many incurable diseases taken human lives that now are controllable. Leukemia is a good example; formerly leukemia was an uncontrollable cancer and now after scientist continuously researches and experiments. Thus, it turns out to be controllable and also has a chance to recover when there is a suitable bone marrow transplant.

The use of animals as victims for experiments sometimes may seem a little bit ruthless, because they also have lives. Moreover, animals are unlike humans because they cannot express their wills to the scientists whether they want to be experimented or not. However, if we think deeply and compare the lives of animals to humans, then we certainly think it is reasonable. I do not mean it is correct to hurt animals, but animal lives are worthless to people anyway. Here is evidence supports my words, first think about what we eat for our main sources of food every day. The animals become our victims but in a different way. As a matter of fact, how many of us have ever think about harming the animals when we eat our steaks and other meats? Besides, vegetables also have lives and therefore we cannot eat them. I am not sure for that but one thing I sure about is if we put too many restrictions on experimenting on animals and humans then we would lose the ability to survive. On the other hand, I cannot imagine what will turn out if we not allowing scientist to use animals for experiments. Maybe we may feel threatened by many undefined diseases and feel helpless because scientists are not permitted to do experiments. Therefore, they cannot do research for medication to relief our illnesses and what we can do is get suffering by the diseases.

In the whole, it is forgivable for scientists to use humans and animals in laboratory experiment for medical reasons as long as the efforts contribute to humans. Besides, their purpose is leading a good intention to human and the universe. Consequently, the nature phenomenon explains all the contradictories, for instance, regarding to the food chain; they listed how animals eat animals for surviving. So, I am not surprised human use animals as victims in their laboratory experiment. Anyway, if scientists want to use human in their experiments, first they must respect one's will before they can take any action toward this person.

Response on the debate

It is a good idea for giving out rewards to motivate volunteers to try the new experimental birth control pill. First, it helps attract more people to become volunteers and second, it helps more accurate results and outcomes for researchers. However, there still holds certain considerations for the volunteers, because we do not know whether it is safe or not of taken these pills. Moreover, they indicated that the pills are experimental type, and that means, they have not been proved. Hence, the volunteers might have to take risks of using them and maybe needed to facing with either unpredictable positive or negative consequences due to their body.

Even though, the researchers explained to the volunteers what the pills are make of, but in actual how many of us really know what they are. Generally, most people are not experts of any science articles or chemicals. Yet, it does not make any difference whether we know it or not because either way we still do not know how the pill ingredients will effect on our bodies. Certainly, we do not know what consequence will cause when a woman accidentally pregnant after she took the pill. I sort of doubt that it will produce any problems to the fetus of that woman is carrying.

Before any experimental pills are use on human, scientists first did it on animals. They tested on the animals first before they brought them to human. Nevertheless, humans and animals are two different species, and both of their physical functions are different. So, it is hard to make comparison between them because chemicals may have different reaction on either of them. Over all, researchers may use humans and animals for the new experimental birth control pill as long as the pills are safe and harmless to one's body. In addition, the result of it may help people to solve their problems and the society's as well, which is the population issue. Of course, the first condition they have to hold is that they must have to respect the volunteers' wills who are involved.
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June 6, 2000

Music is an important part of most people's lives. Culturally, music reflects the lifestyles and trends of a society's listeners. Music is a process that involves many people. It extends beyond just the musician that creates; music reaches into the lives of listeners and provides an emotional connection, or a moment of happiness. Traditionally music was listened to in live performances that brought people together. Later, with the invention of radios, people were able to bring a wide variety of music into their homes, and today, with new digital technology that is progressing at an ever-increasing rate, people are beginning to experience music in an entirely new way.

The newest technology innovations affect music on all levels. The musician now has new tools with which to create. The listener now has easier ways to access music. The industry that revolves around music now has better ways to find and help musicians. These new digital technologies are changing music on all fronts, and revolutionizing what it means to have music in our lives.

Create: The Musician

Technology has affected performers in several different ways. Modern technologies have made a huge impact since the days where a live performance consisted of vocals and instruments. Early in the century live performances were plain and simple. There would be an artist on stage with a microphone and the band in the background playing the instruments. The music was produced using human action. Most performances these days have changed in a large way. Pure vocal and instrumental acts seemed to have disappeared. These days, at a show it is likely that there will be a big difference in performance from the old days of musical performances.

A musician can alter their on-stage performance in a number of ways. Instead of having a back-up band with instruments, it is possible to have a drum machine that produces the drum loops with a punch of a button. There is little need for guitars or pianos when computerized synthesizer technology can produce a range of sounds to fit any genre of music. Digital technology and the machinery it has enabled are able to replace many of the human elements in music.

Many of the machines that an artist can use to enhance a live performance can also be applied in a studio situation. When producing music, musicians may prefer to use modern technology and computers to produce sounds rather than face the cumbersome task of employing other musicians to come into a studio and record. Also, instead of mixing sounds and drumbeats on the traditional turntable, musicians are able to utilize computer technology that will create smoother transitions and more precise placement of sounds. The introduction of high-tech recorders, sound samplers, and digital synthesizers allows artists to record any sound desired and put it into a digital format, where it can then be altered in countless other ways using simple computer programs.

These new technologies serve to expand the options available to musicians. Instead of limiting a musician to sound production that relies on other musicians, digital technology lets musicians engage in a new level of control over the sounds they produce. Technology has broadened the horizons of music. Music is becoming more and more advanced. If today's music were to be compared with music from the "oldies", many new sounds, previously thought impossible or unlikely for music, will be heard. With sounds ranging from electronically produced drum sequences, voice dubs, special sound effects, musicians are entering a new playing field of music with the results being technologically enhanced music that can sometimes blow your mind.

Listen: The Audience

Digital technologies have sprung up in successive waves during the last few years. It emerged with three primary streaming technologies: MS Audio, Real Audio, Quick Time to Wave files, and recently the MP3. The appearance of these technologies is a sampling of this century's technological innovations. These discoveries are for a new generation of listeners, which reflects how listeners have introduced a new slant on how music is perceived.

Among these technologies, the MP3 is the most influential and interactive for today's listeners. It reproduces digital technology flawlessly into smaller file formats with beautiful sound quality. For those who are familiar with MP3's, it is a compression form of information, similar to a Zip disk. MP3 is an abbreviation that stands for MPEG 1, Audio Layer 3. It has a compression algorithm that is based on a psycho-acoustic sound model. This model uses the properties of the human ear and tries to maintain the original sound quality as much as possible. When compressing a file with algorithms, listeners can set the disk encoding level and have whatever compression level they wish. Of course, the larger the compressed file the better the sound quality.

Moving from traditionally non-interactive mediums such as television, radio, and movies to the interactive computer technologies, listeners perceive in a much different way. Since the MP3 emerged in 1997, its popularity has continuously grown larger and larger and is now making an invasion into our culture. It is becoming the listener's favorite medium and is already at the top of many Internet "most-searched" lists.

The popularity of MP3's started to grow when people realized they could have their favorite sounds stored on their computers and because of this, have the ability to do things such as email a song to a friend. This quality of MP3's has played a large role in attracting many of the teenage and college-aged music listeners. The interest being paid to MP3's by the younger, "hipper" generations has created intense competition among MP3 music providers on the Internet. For the sake of attraction listeners, providers offer a huge amount of different musical choices for listeners to download. Through these music providers, listeners can search for whatever music they enjoy and have the freedom to download and own the music for free.

With the recent development of MP3 technology, there are bound to be improvements coming around shortly. The technology will most likely continue to remain popular and will attract more and more users. MP3 technology will soon become to music what VCR's become to home entertainment: a must have for everyone. Another possible application of new digital technology in the music frontier is the advent of new technologies that will replace the MP3 in ease of use and availability. The new technology would have to be extremely improved to take the place of MP3's and would have to include qualities that made it easier to handle, produce better sound quality, and be compressed to smaller files.

In the future, music industries will operate entirely through the web with listeners adapting to a new way of purchasing music. The future form of music will be completely different than what is currently in use. Listeners will no longer need to purchase a CD from one artist that has 12 songs by that same artist. Instead, listeners will be able to preview songs and pick the ones enjoyed most to be downloaded onto specialized CD's. Music selection will become customized to fit each listener's individual tastes and preferences. This technology will rewrite the music industry and give listeners a greater opportunity to be interactive with the music they listen to.

Employ: The Industry

The music industry generally can be thought of as the organizations and individuals that are in existence to develop and employ musicians. The industry includes record labels, tour managers, group managers, music producers, and various other groups that strive to enhance both the experiences of the listener and the musician.

The large, corporate musical industries have been both hurt and helped by the increased availability and production of digital technology. The greatest problem faces major record labels such as Epic, Sony, or Virgin. These corporations rely make their money by signing artists to their label, producing and promoting their records, and then taking a cut of the profits. With the introduction of MP3's there is less incentive for people to buy CD's because they are able to download the music for free. This threatens the profit making ability of large corporate recede labels and is not seen as beneficial. However, large record labels are also helped by digital technology.

Real Audio and other streaming music technology that allows for the uploading and listening of music on the web has made talent searching much easier. Record executives no longer need to invest time and money into sending scouts to listen to bands at several live venues, instead they can hire a staff of web-surfers to scour the net for the latest new sound. This capability means that many bands may have an opportunity at getting signed simply by having a good computer and Internet access.

The smaller, independent labels and organizations are the perhaps the part of the music industry most helped by digital technology. Smaller "indie" labels have been able to use tools such as the Internet to reach a more broad audience of listeners and musicians. The advantage of digital technology such as the Internet to smaller independent labels is clear. An indie label now has access to a relatively cheap mode of attracting and promoting artists. Also, the availability of the web has allowed many musicians to run their own labels.

Not only do indie labels thrive on the internet, but open forums for discussion, posting and promoting of music, and the organization of musicians in communities, has made the internet-based music industry more than just hunting grounds for the opportunity to make a buck on the latest musical fad. The Internet has provided a place for those interested in the proliferation of music to control music and the creative process surrounded by music. It used to be that the only way to really get heard was to play live and hope that a talent scout from a major record label would sign your band. With the new digital revolution in music, it is possible for people to create free venues of musical expression that allow bands to hold onto their musical integrity. Bands are able to place their music on the web, free to listeners, and sell their own records. This new freedom in the music industry has been one of the greatest contributions by digital technology.

Rewind: The Conclusion

As digital technology continues to expand, so will the experiences of those people who make music an active part of their lives. Musicians will be able to expand the range of their talents. Listeners will be able to have greater ease when it comes to listening to music. The industry will be able to expand and allow for the introduction of new musical talent into the broad spectrum of musicians. As we move towards the new opportunities digital technologies are provided for society, our ears are perked and ready to listen to whatever the new musical revolution has to offer.
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