Wednesday, April 10, 2013

"They Say/I Say"


This reading was very useful. “They Say/I Say” has a lot of good information on how to write. It provides templates and exercises on how to become a better writer. I particularly enjoyed the examples they use to explain the wide range of uses for this model.

The authors talk about how to take an opinion or piece of conversation and set it up so that you can later refute it. It is also important on how to respond to the opposing opinion. You don’t necessarily need to strictly agree or disagree with the opinion. There are templates where you can agree with some points and disagree with others. They even use this model while explaining it. There are those who say that the “They Say/I Say” model is too restrictive and stifles creativity. However, they give plenty of evidence as to why it is helpful to follow such a model, and how it can still allow the user plenty of free reign. Another important aspect is that you can’t just state how you feel about a certain issue: you must state why you think so. Even if a viewpoint seems obvious, you must state your rationale behind your thinking.

The templates and instructions that the authors give in this reading are extremely useful in writing a paper. I will definitely use some of these templates when writing papers in the future. 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Group Update 4/9/13


My group is on our way to finishing the rough draft. We are all writing separate sections, but we are going to put them together by the weekend. Everything is coming along quite well. There have not been any major problems with the group yet. Everyone is working on their individual sections diligently, and I am happy with the progress we have made. At this pace, we should have no problem finishing the paper and presentation on time. I am excited to see the fruits of our labor. This has been a very interesting topic that I enjoy researching and writing about. Similarly, I like my group members and appreciate the interests and work ethics we share. 

Monday, April 1, 2013

Group Update 4/1/13


This week, we finished up the project proposal and we are almost done with our research. We will continue searching and reading for another week or so, and then we will create an outline for the paper based on the research. So far, everyone in the group seems dedicated and excited about the project. It is a very interesting topic and I am glad to be working with people who share my enthusiasm for artificial intelligence.

The official topic of our research paper will cover the ethics of artificial intelligence. We will discuss the different implications “strong AI” may have on our society. “Strong AI” is a term used to define artificial intelligence that has gained a consciousness or personality. The moral, and possibly even political, issues that may arise from the construction of “strong AI” may be something that humans will have to deal with in the nearby future.