ISB extra credit

5. Biotechnology

Biotechnology is one of the newest technologies that studied and applied by human in current world. It can simply defined by United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity as any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. In general, biotechnology can change our life in positive way, like more crop harvest, more food choice, medicine, biodiversity and so on. However, it can also cause some problems which refer to unhealthy food, ethical against and even a challenge toward to human’s dominating position.
First of all, biotechnology makes great impact on nowadays’ agricultural issues. It can dramatically increase the production of specific crops and plants. This huge add upon food supply in some regions, especially in developing country and the third world’s countries, help to solve the food shortage or so called hunger crisis happens there. For example in China, the total sales of biotechnological products in China have increased by nearly fifty times during a10-year period from 13 billion RMB in 1997 to more than 20 billion RMB in year 2000 (Ju, 2001). It really helped to release the hunger problem so that the development of the Chinese economy is performing well. Also in some developed country, an increase in crop production also helped. For example in the United State, a detailed study shows that biotechnology helped increase U.S. agricultural production by 8.34 billion pounds on 123 million acres in 2005, according to an article provided by Excellence Through Stewardship organization. Also, benefits like an increase in farmers’ income, enhancement in sustainability, reduction in environmental footprint and improvement in crops’ quality gained from using biotechnology helps us a lot. Plus, some future or potential benefits in more biological way is being studied by scientist.
However, biotechnology also brings some problems. A big worry from a social view is whether Genetic modified food is health or not. Although scientists tried to prove that Genetic modified food is not less healthy than natural growth food, people nowadays still prefer the natural one. Furthermore, the change of traits in organism in order to get better species is against human in ethic and moral aspects. Some species result from a modification in genetic way are proven with less or non ability to exist in nature world. One of the most examples of using biotechnology





Citation page:
1. Ju, Jin, “Life Science and Biotechnology in China”, May 28, 2001

2. “Agricultural Biotechnology: Benefits Delivered”, Excellence Through Stewardship,

Elizabeth hill boone reading response

In this essay, Elizabeth talks about writing systems in pre Columbia America era in order to find out a broader definition of writing.
The first part, for which the topic is “Limited notions of writing”, points that almost all the scholars who have looked seriously at writing systems in their general sense have defined writing as spoken language that is recorded or referenced phonetically by visible marks. However, seems most of these scholars are linguists; it is easier for them to tie writing to speech. “Speech has evolved as the fullest and most efficient means of conveying thought. Only full spoken language enables us as human beings to express any and all thoughts” said Defrancis. Also, other scholars give different opinions in order to emphasize the limitation of certain writing systems. Some examples of limitation for some writing systems are given.
We can simply define writing as the ability to write or compose, however, scholars, who are still trying to find out an inclusive definition of writing, pull out several meanings and definition of writing. By analyzing the focus and concentration of different definitions, we can get to those similarities which are the main characteristic of the issue, but it is still hard to announce an inclusive summary.
In the last sub topic of this article, Elizabeth talks about some writing systems in Pre-Columbian America, for sure the most famous one is the writing system that had had been used in Maya civilization.
In conclusion, this essay is actually talking about those writing systems that beyond only-writing which means other method and media of writing, like graphic and visual literacy. Writing or in a boarder way we can say literacy, plays a vital role in recording information for histories of human evolution. Sometimes these simple ways of recording or expressing could even be better than normal writing way which is text. Like in our assignment 4, the purpose is to use another forms and Medias of writing to express the topic that we composed in one form.

Homework due on Apr 8th--how do literacy and technology shape each other

Reading response for “From pencils to pixel: The stages of literacy technology” by Dennis Baron

A development of technology means to answer the demand for more technological skills and knowledge. For example, what we are talking about is “how do literacy and technology shape each other”, each new literacy technology always begins with a restricted communications function and gradually becomes common in order to match the increasing requirements of majorities.
What differs human from animal is the use of tools. For literacy issue, tool means pen, pencil, printer etc. As the appearance of computer, computer-writing gradually removes the usage of pen and pencil. This is what we called an evolution of literacy technology, which encourages a more efficiency and convenience way of living. However, worries from anthropologists which are a risk of making humans disable in terms of over rely on high technologies. Time will tell.
A development in technology provides a wider space for literacy. More ways of communication and forms of media consummates literacy. Meanwhile, a higher requirement and demand for literacy skills like convenience and efficiency also encourages a promotion in technology.