Homework 10...or should it be 9?!?

Q1)

There is no such thing as scientific proof, because science does not seek to prove things.   It seeks to explain things or how they work.  With those explanations, science can disprove or state how things don’t work.  Whereas math is concerned with proving things, science is concerned with gathering evidence.  But having evidence is not the same thing as having proof; proofs are final, and evidence can change (better evidence can be found, evidence for a different theory can be found, etc).

Q2)…I will email you this part…

Q3)

Increased access to information or computing has led to a decrease in privacy and security.  With an increasing number of activities being done via computers (email vs. writing traditional letters, banking or purchasing items online), we open ourselves up to loss of privacy and/or security because we rely on the computing systems to be secure.  This is unfortunately not the case at all times.  Security is lost because personal information such as account numbers, log-ins, and passwords can get into the wrong hands if the systems have been compromised.  Before using computers for these activities, it was much harder to obtain this type of information.

  Privacy can be lost because personal information can be distributed much easier than ever before, essentially with the touch of a button.  A lot of information we deem private, such as emails, photos, etc. can be viewed by millions of people once someone posts it on a blog, their Facebook, etc. and once it is posted, and someone else downloaded it, it is essentially public forever (taking it down from the original site does not guarantee that someone does not have a copy somewhere else). And oftentimes we do not think about the consequences when we send things to our friends.  It is much harder to distribute information in a way that cannot be undone without computers.

I think computing has definitely increased quality of our activities.  It has made things much more convenient and easier.  Instead of having to write and send a letter, getting stamps, and going to the mailbox, all we have to do is sit at a computer, and write an email.  Instead of having to drive to the bank to deposit a check, we can scan it in and send and deposit it electronically.  Instead of having to go to the mall, we can shop online.  The savings in terms of time, and money saved by not having to drive as much, definitely would contribute to an increased quality of live.

I think computers have also contributed to an increase in social connections that one is able to make.  With a computer, one can instantly communicate with people in different locations, some of them far away.  One also can meet people (via Facebook, for example) that ordinarily one would never have been able to meet (people in different states, countries).  Sometimes, these social connections can also lead to new and different job opportunities, or access to education that one would not have gotten otherwise (think online classes, WIMBA, etc…)