WEEK 2

Epistemology

  • studies the nature of knowledge and how we know what we know.

Homophily

  • In the social sciences, this tendency for people to have close friendships primarily with people similar to themselves

Philia

  • the Greek word for the dispassionate love between friends

Primary Source

  • is a source that is as close as possible to the topic being studied

  • for example, Benjamin Franklin’s letters would serve as primary sources for a biographer

Secondary Source

  • discusses information presented elsewhere

  • For example, if you were writing a biography of Benjamin Franklin, an authoritative history of the Revolutionary War would be just one of the secondary sources you would consult

Tertiary Source

  • a survey or summary of other work that does not include full evidence, sources, or technical details

  • the model of Wikipedia

  • Usually (but not for every piece of information in an article), a tertiary source points you towards other sources.

• In Wikipedia, any registered user can create and write a new article. In other words, Wikipedia’s editorial model is a crowdsourcing model.

• Crowdsourcing, in this context, means taking tasks that would normally be performed by experts (such as writing and editing articles), and allowing the public to do them.

• Wikipedia’s editors and contributors are volunteers, whereas the editorial staff of a traditional encyclopedia is paid.

• In Wikipedia anyone can be an author, anyone can be a supervising editor, and anyone can be a content editor

• The subtle ways that computer technology is changing who we are. Citing Marshall McLuhan, we argued that these subtle changes are the most important changes, because we mostly ignore them as we go about our everyday lives.

• We focus on something that is more directly changing the nature of human beings, cybernetic technology, which involves grafting computer (or machine) parts onto living organisms.

• Cybernetics is the study of self regulating or self-controlling systems. One example of such a self regulating system is a human’s internal heat regulation system. When we overheat, we perspire, so that we will be cooled by the evaporation of sweat. When we are too cold, we shiver. The rapid contractions of our muscles, in shivering, burns energy, and gives off heat, which warms us back up

• The word “cybernetic” is also used to refer to a biological organism that has computer or machine components. Some people use the word cyborg, short for cybernetic organism to distinguish between the scientific study of cybernetics and such hybrid organisms.

• The common usage of “cybernetic” to refer to organism-machine hybrids reflects this understanding that the machines give us new powers, but the organism remains in control, the one thinking, the one steering.

• Cybernetic augmentation we mean a computerized prosthesis that gives the user abilities that normal human beings do not have.

• The first experiments to augment vision by implanting a chip in the retina and to allow a direct interface between the brain and computer, have already been carried out.

  • CONSIDER THE SOURCE- click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.

  • CHECK THE AUTHOR- do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?

  • CHECK THE DATE- reposting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events. CHECK YOUR BIASES- consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgement.

  • READ BEYOND- headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story? SUPPORTING SOURCES?- click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story.

  • IS IT A JOKE?- If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure. ASK THE EXPERTS- ask a librarian, or consult a fact-checking site.