Videos (11/17/11)

simplicity vs. complexity
what is simplicity?? - coffee cup, scissors, glasses, book
cell phone (simple but rests on a complexity)
birth control pill (simple but also rests on complexity)
"teapot problem" - why is the water hot? - many different answers/many different meanings
The state of science
     complexity: highly developed
     simplicity: also non-existent
Complex systems are composed of
   components
   that interact with one another
   dissipate energy
simplicity to complexity:  STACKING
internet - starts with binary arithmetic (simplest way of representing numbers)
add multiple parts together that are extremely simplistic (intergrated transistors)
google is a simple portal in the complex world of the internet
SIMPLE THINGS
reliable, predictible
cheap
high performance or value/cost
"building blocks" (ability to stack)
"everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" (Einstein)


complex doesnt always equal complicated
when you step back and look at a complex situation, you are more likely to find simple answers instead of when you just take one piece of a complex situation.
visualization tools help you ask questions that you never thought you would ask before
simplicity lies on the other side of complexity

Free Write (11/17/11)

In order for a project to have meaning, there has to be simple and complex parts.  I believe one of the simple parts of our project is our goal:  collecting 100 blankets.  It is an attainable goal and we have put a number to it so we can measure our progress.  The most complex part of our project right now has been obtaining the materials and the funds to actually start the project.  The actual making of the blankets, once we have obtained the materials, is probably going to be the easiest part of our project because it is just arts and crafts and most everyone loves activities like that.  Another complex element of our class project is our advertising plan.  There are many different types of advertisements that we could use to entice different audiences but we have to figure out which one will be the best for our project. 

Free Write (11/15/2011)

In doing my class project report that is due today, I learned a lot.  I learned how the many things that we have learned in our First Year Seminar Class interconnect and relate to the things that we are trying to complete in class.  The project of collecting one hundred blankets seemed daunting at the beginning but with all the tools that have been given to us throughout the course of the semester.  Some of those resources are the books How to Change the World and The Dragonfly Effect.  By putting together the ideas that came from both books, we can better learn how to create an effective campaign of collecting blankets while affecting social change in the area that we currently reside.  Another thing that I learned was that if you document and draw out what you need to do to complete a project, it is more likely that you will not miss a step in the process.  Diagrams help unclutter a complex situation.  When a diagram is drawn, all steps are labeled and can be checked off.  As you can see, I have learned a lot from this class project report.

College Students Enacting Social Change (Alana G. Strassfield)

• College students can create a non profit organization and effect social change
• Social change is established through non profit and non governmental organizations
• the founder of INVISIBLE CHILDREN was a college student when he created the non profit organization.
• target specific problems
• 5 componenets
• characteristic attributes shcuh as adaptability and determination
• utilization of resoruces in collge
• interconnectedness
• the utilization of web intermediaries and social networks
• organizaitonal skills, being able to form a plan
• 501C3 (non profit organization) (tax exemption)
• to have a profound impact on a specific part of the world (not changing the world)
• people have to change along with the world in order to be successful
• college is an extensive resource in the making of non profits
• college provides an audience for a college student
• change is made through a group effort
• INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• we live in a small, interconnected world.
• makes us more likely to partake in things that we really care about
• THE FACEBOOK EFFECT
• 500,000,000 actively using facebook 6 months ago
• 800,000,000 actively using facebook now
• 1 in every 9 people have a facebook in the world
• the audience of a college student is expanded even more
• instantaineous access to millions of people
• organize protests (social movements)
• PLAN OF ACTION
• the purpose or mission statement
• decideing how the organization's programs will be paid for
• projects the organizations wishes to accomplish
• timeline of events
• desired effect and social impact (mission statement)
• social change is important for people that want to live a life of meaning
• college students do have the power to enact social change by creating non profits and non governmental organizations
• why wait til you graduate??

Free Write (11/1/11)

• future of the way we make things
• machines will repair themselve, and reproduce on their own
• natural systems are much more efficient than manmade systems
• rarely make mistakes
• SELF ASSEMBLY
• deconde assembly sequence
• programmability of parts
• energy
• error correction
• macrobot - reconfigureable robots
• biochains - passive self assembly system
• programming a chain to go into any shape
• new self assembling structures
• new programmable systems
• new design possibilities
• new self assembling world

Artificial Life - Yes or No

I do not believe that artificial life could be created from the machines that were shown in the video.  I believe that the machines that are being created to replicate by themselves and work on their own are not alive.  They are being programmed by people who are actually alive to do things that humans usually take for granted.  For example, some of the machines are being taught to move.  This is one of the first thing that a person learns and is with them (and most likely needed) for the duration of their lifetime.  As you can see, this is not real life but recreations of lifelike actions.