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Technology In Our Lives Essay Research Paper

Technology In Our Lives Essay, Research Paper


Technology nowadays constantly seems to seep its way into our daily


routines. Everything we do is somehow connected with technology,


whether it be working on a paper in the computer lab, taking the H bus


to class, or even eating dinner at Brower Commons.. Without technology,


life would be more difficult than it already is, knowledge would be


limited and more difficult to achieve. The task of technology is to


create a better, and easier living for ourselves and for the world;


it’s intentions are only positive, unless looked on in the subject


matter of destruction, warfare or terrorism. Biotechnology goes down


deeper than the computer chips and electronic devices that people think


about when discussing technology. Biotechnology deals with the


concoction of technology and life, which brings up various moral issues,


yet at the same time acts positively for our world. It has been


practiced by human society since the beginning of recorded history in


such activities as baking bread, brewing alcoholic beverages, or


breeding food crops or domestic animals. Biotechnology in the case of


Monsanto is a step forward in the field of technology, and a step


forward for us. Without technology, our nation would not be where it is


today, and I hope we continue to push technology to its outer limits, if


that is, those outer limits do actually exist. Like most technological


advancements and breakthroughs, problems arise depending on the


willingness and readiness of us humans to accept the new form of


technology.


Biotechnology can be broadly defined as: using living organisms or


their products for commercial use. The company Monsanto, specializes in


biotechnology both in the pharmaceutical and agricultural fields. The


article “Playing God in the Garden”, written by Michael Pollan discusses


the topic of biotechnology in the field of agriculture, and touches


greatly upon the New Leaf Superior, one of Monsanto’s agricultural


products which focuses on potato farmers. This New Leaf Superior


product is basically a super-form of a potato. This super potato was


genetically engineered by scientists in Monsanto’s St. Louis research


lab to automatically repel any Colorado Potato Beetle – a potato farmers


worst enemy. The intent of this New Leaf Superior is to assist farmers


in farming potatoes, and as Monsanto states on its website


(http://www.biotechknowledge.com/primer/newleaf.html), it is clearly


having an effect on farming. “[The New Leaf Superior] is more effective


against potato leaf roll virus than any insecticide program, and it also


prevents rotting and internal defects. As a result, it reduces


insecticide use by over 80 percent, increases processor throughput,


reduces inputs, protects yields and improves quality.”


I asked myself : “Why does Monsanto only allow farmers to grow one


generation if they are trying to help them out?” The answer took some


thought but I came to a conclusion after Pollan explained the “software


metaphor”. Monsanto acts like a computer software company, only that


the company does not revolve around a computer like a software company


does. The company revolves around life. This company releases


“software” which assists us in completing tasks, gaining knowledge, and


succeeding. Like all computer software companies, Monsanto includes a


“CD key”, so that reproduction and piracy would not be possible. This


“CD key” is a gene added to the plant by Monsanto’s scientists for


identification purpose. After all, Monsanto did discover the New Leaf


Superior, which obviously took a lot of research and development.


Those against technology and it’s advancement are most likely opposed


to biotechnology as well. Included in the Unabomber’s manifesto is his


stressed position on technology and biotechnology. “Search the


Unabomber Manifesto and you find the word ‘computer’ frequently used in


conjunction with ‘control’ and ‘technology.’ The serial bomber blames


technology, especially computers, for a vast variety of social ills: the


invasion of privacy, genetic engineering, and ‘environmental degradation


through excessive economic growth’” (Heim 27). It is clear to say that


the Unabomber would most likely be against the New Leaf Superior because


of the fact that it is genetically engineered. Yes obviously, the New


Leaf is genetically engineered, rendering it artificial, but there is no


real proven problem posed here. All of the problems with the New Leaf


come from theories and ideas, which were never proven to be true.


Pollan explains a telephone conversation with Andrew Kimbrell, the


director of the Center for Technology Assessment, explaining a fear that


the Unabomber most likely shares:


“‘Biological pollution will be the environmental nightmare of the 21st


century, ‘ he said when I reached him by phone. ‘This is not like


chemical pollution – an oil spill – that eventually disperses.


Biological pollution us an entirely different model, more like a


disease. Is Monsanto going to be held legally responsible when one of


its transgenes creates a superweed or resistant insect?’” (Pollan 4)


Yes, Monsanto will be and should be held responsible if this


happens, but my belief when touching upon technology is that we are


always superior to it.


A computer runs off of mathematical algorithms and binary code,


which are both fabrications of man, putting the computer on a lower


level than the programmer, as Heim describes, “The computer is a


subordinate device.”(Heim 33). Using the algorithms and binary code, a


programmer is able to create anything he/she wants to within the


boundaries of the computer. The same concept applies for biotechnology;


man being the programmer and nature being the computer.. “One way to


look at biotechnology is that it allows a larger portion of human


intelligence to be incorporated into the plant itself” (Pollan 3)


Biotechnology will always be subordinate to us because of the fact that


we are the ones behind it. Like seen in many science fiction movies,


when technology is able to expand itself on its own, is when we lose our


position above it. If a resistance does happen, and the beetles do


become resistant, Monsanto will be able to mend the problem, using the


same research and technology they used while developing the New Leaf. In


the world of computers, when a virus comes up, experts go to work


dissecting the code of the virus to understand what it exactly does to


the computer. The programmers then go on to make a counter program


which contains the code that will contradict the pattern of the virus,


thus mending the problem.


The term artificial comes into the picture when discussing the


potatoes that the New Leaf plants create. These potatoes are


artificial in the sense that their natural growth and makeup were tapped


into and modified by man. Many see this as a health problem and are


afraid to eat the them.


“Last summer, biotech food emerged as the most explosive environmental


issue in Europe. Protesters have destroyed dozens of field trials of


the very same ‘frankenplants’ (as they are sometimes called) that we


Americans are already serving for dinner, and throughout Europe the


public has demanded that biotech food be labeled in the market” (Pollan


1)


In fact the potatoes are as safe to eat as organic potatoes,


according to the FDA, which evaluated the nutrition and safety of the


New Leaf product a numerous amount of times. “Monsanto, for its part,


claims that it has thoroughly examined all the potential environmental


and health risks of its biotech plants, and points out that three


regulatory agencies – the U.S.D.A, the E.P.A. and the F.D.A. – have


signed off on its products” (Pollan 4) Obviously, these potatoes were


required to undergo numerous tests before they were open to consumers


and farmers for purchase, which I believe is a worthy endorsement that


the potatoes are safe to eat and grow. The new leaf potatoes fall into


the same category as the artificial communities discussed in paper #3.


An artificial, virtual community functions as a community, and delivers


a sense of community gratification to users, such like the New Leaf


Superior potato was developed by man, yet easily replaces an organic


potato.


Morality and ethics are also introduced when discussing the New Leaf


and biotechnology. Individuals believe that humans are not in the


position to meddle with nature, are not in the position to play god, yet


some in the past and present, including myself, place technology before


morality and ethics “Seventeenth century rationalists like Gottfried W.


Leibniz and Rene Descartes pushed computation and mathematical physics


far ahead of ethics and feelings. The Cartesian revolution in


philosophy put mathematical physics at the top of the list of priorities


while ethics became the incidental victim of skeptical reasoning.” (Heim


34) In Heim’s terms, Monsanto is the idealist, those opposed to


biotechnology, such as the Unabomber and the protesters in Europe are


the na ve realists, and I, myself would be an optimist.


I share the same view as Descartes and Leibniz, where technology


comes before ethics and moral issues. Yes, I do have moral principles


and I do think about them, but I believe that technology is essential to


the advancement of man now and in the future. I would place Heim, the


Unabomber, and those completely against technology in the category of


those who are not willing to accept and who oppose the fact that our


world is going through major technological advancement. The change is


quite evident, from the typical forms of communication to the new forms


such as fax, email, and chat. The typical forms of agricultural


development are now being moved in upon by technology. Like the


Internet and many other technological advancements, biotechnology is


being rejected by the whole. We need technology to learn more, to make


more happen. Biotechnology, such as the New Leaf and other forms of


genetic engineering aid greatly in the survival of the human race,


although it is not noticed now, it may be noticed in the future.


Technology is responsible for where our world is today. Knowledge is


power, and there is indeed, much knowledge through technology.


Technology is a powerful tool, which we have complete control over.



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