I would like to present you one article which is strictly connected with my research as I am dealing with deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease. In this particular case subjects are stimulated in order to recover from motoric problems but lately more and more articles are published regarding behavior or/and emotional manipulation of brain using minor currents. Example for this could be following article:
http://www.iflscience.com/brain/electrical-signals-change-monkeys-choices
Please read the article and answer below questions (or just give your thoughts on the topic :) ):
1. Do you think behavior manipulation is ethical ?
2. Can you think of any positive appliance of such techniques ?
3. Would you apply such technique to yourself if it would for example help you get rid of some trouble some habit of yours ? (eg. smoking, drinking or polygamy :))
Online English Conversation Course for PhD Students
Monday, 2 June 2014
Week 9: What is the subject of science research in the field of Informatics?
The question seems provocative, taking into account the fact that is directed at researchers in this the field of science. But I sincerely hope that this is exactly the right place where I can get, not only answers, but also valuable suggestions and inspirations.
By nearly twenty years I'm intrigued by the question of: What is the "Informations". Of course, I'm interested in the scientific sense, as for physicists may be is interesting: What is the „Energy”. Unfortunately, despite so many years, I found only many partial answers, but even all together they are not satisfactory. Worse, I feel that increasingly difficult I grasp the essence of the "Informations".
Somewhere in the early nineties I read famous book "The thing about essence computing – Algorithmics” written by David Harel. Then briefly I had a fine fettle that I know what I do. Unfortunately, very soon, doubts have arisen such as:
- Maybe not "Algorithmics" but is data structures are the essence of "Informations".
- Natural Human language and derivative languages (for example programming languages) are the true essence.
- It is difficult to talk about the essence of computer science without considering all of its major operating functions: processing, memorizing, control process, communication process.
Since then the concept of "Informations" is explored, quite a good article on the current knowledge can be found here: Semantic Conceptions of Information (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/information-semantic/). The article is quite extensive, so I will not write more on the topic so we move to the questions. I do not expect that everyone answers to all these questions. Let everyone will choose the ones that suit him.
1. Is the classic the "Information Theory" (Claude E. Shannon) sufficient to describe the concept of "Informations"? What is the value in this context the "Qualitative Information Theory" (Marian Mazur)?
2. Range the Informatics as science covers only information that occurs in artificial systems (computers)?
3. Is the scope of Informatics is any information that may appear in the universe? Are states and processes that occur within us (in the human mind and the human brain) in scope this science?
4. If human language is instrument for each of thought process, about most a complex structure (the context grammar) and has the greatest power of expression. It is human language the ultimate goal of computer science and the essence of "Informations”?
5. What are relationships between concepts "Informations", "Languages" and the concept of "Truth" (of course the term "Truth" is understood scientifically, as in mathematical logic)?
6. If "Word" is synonymous with "Informations" whether all the answers these questions and the accompanying article are stuck in this brief content:
“ 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. … ”
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
Week 8 that should be in Week 7 (late) – Playing with statistics to prove any theory…
First I would like to apologize my fellow students, I’ve mixed up my calendar and I’ve thought that my article should be posted another week…
Since just few days ago we had elections to EU parliament, I thought to write few words about lying using numbers. ;) I’m sure everyone came across some bizarre “proof” that was based on completely irrelevant data.
Sometimes you can look at a plot, and after a while you realize that what you see is different than what you initially thought…. Look at “Gun deaths in Florida” – what can you see?
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/04/15/thats-a-terrible-chart/
Sometimes the numbers and plots are just fine, but somehow we are trying to connect data that have no connection whatsoever. Checkout this website: http://www.tylervigen.com/
Here you have couple of charts that I find most surprising.
1. Number people who drowned while in a swimming-pool
correlates with
Power generated by nuclear power plants (US)
Correlation: 0.901
2. US spending on science, space, and technology
correlates with
Suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation
Correlation: 0.992
3. Divorce rate in Maine
correlates with
Per capita consumption of margarine (US)
Correlation: 0.993
That’s quite amazing how unusual correlations can be found, but what conclusion can we make out of it?
There’s a great article by Andrew Gelman, a professor of statistics at Columbia University –
“Lying with statistics”.
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/bag-of-tricks/chap10.pdf
There's a citation of an newspaper article that shows studies conducted on children from different countries on how good their reading skills are. The point of prof. Gelman is that it's very hard to compare language skills of people reading in different languages!
Just like comparing someones' manual abilities...
Comparing ability of totally different animals makes completely no sense.
1. What is wrong with those correlation charts? Data used here are true. ;)
2. Try to find and give us an example of unlogical/strange conclusion made on basis of wrongly interpreted data.
3. What's your opinion on making IQ tests? Can someones intelligence be measured by solving few tasks? I believe that those tests show ability to "solve tests" and are not showing someones creativity.
Since just few days ago we had elections to EU parliament, I thought to write few words about lying using numbers. ;) I’m sure everyone came across some bizarre “proof” that was based on completely irrelevant data.
Sometimes you can look at a plot, and after a while you realize that what you see is different than what you initially thought…. Look at “Gun deaths in Florida” – what can you see?
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/04/15/thats-a-terrible-chart/
Sometimes the numbers and plots are just fine, but somehow we are trying to connect data that have no connection whatsoever. Checkout this website: http://www.tylervigen.com/
Here you have couple of charts that I find most surprising.
1. Number people who drowned while in a swimming-pool
correlates with
Power generated by nuclear power plants (US)
Correlation: 0.9012. US spending on science, space, and technology
correlates with
Suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation
Correlation: 0.992
3. Divorce rate in Maine
correlates with
Per capita consumption of margarine (US)
Correlation: 0.993
That’s quite amazing how unusual correlations can be found, but what conclusion can we make out of it?
There’s a great article by Andrew Gelman, a professor of statistics at Columbia University –
“Lying with statistics”.
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/bag-of-tricks/chap10.pdf
There's a citation of an newspaper article that shows studies conducted on children from different countries on how good their reading skills are. The point of prof. Gelman is that it's very hard to compare language skills of people reading in different languages!
Just like comparing someones' manual abilities...
Comparing ability of totally different animals makes completely no sense.
1. What is wrong with those correlation charts? Data used here are true. ;)
2. Try to find and give us an example of unlogical/strange conclusion made on basis of wrongly interpreted data.
3. What's your opinion on making IQ tests? Can someones intelligence be measured by solving few tasks? I believe that those tests show ability to "solve tests" and are not showing someones creativity.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Week 8 B - The next steps in human evolution
We've all been taught that modern humans have evolved during the many years that life originated on earth. Be it from the first bacteria to the first complex organisms like fish, land mammals and apes which haven't really been proven yet but highly suggested. Let the previous species aside since I wouldn't want to focus on this, I am highly interested in finding out what is the next step on our evolution tree. Will it occur naturally or will it be artificial (designed and controlled by us)?
One of the courses that humanity could take to enhance our abilities is genetic modification. A procedure which is already in use (there are some law restrictions though). This would allow for gaining resistance to external factors like immunity to diseases, incombustible skin or even make the need for breathing air obsolete. This might sound science fiction to us but we could achieve the same effect if we had told about our current achievements to our ancestors :) . There are ethical problems though that currently cripple any advance in that field also a risk of unintentionally causing irreversible harm like the incidents of genetically modified crops growing out of control and replacing natural ones.
Another course would be the idea of creating something entirely new that would act similarly to us and by that I mean a thinking and intelligent machine. Sometimes its better to build something from its foundations rather than modifying an entity with a faulty design. We already have some progress in that field, there are plans to create a team of robots that would win a match of soccer versus a team consisting of real people by 2050. The main problem here is whether machines could ever gain self-consciousness and act on their free will (perhaps filtered by a set of rules). Another possibility is simply merging our bodies (or recreating them) with synthetic organs and body parts. There already exist artificial mechanical arms and hearts but the most complex organ of our body which is the true obstucle here is our brain. So far scientists were able to recreate or emulate insect brains, nowadays they struggle to achieve a cat's one. But will the person that has an artificial brain still feel human? :)
Additionally to your opinions on the subject I would like you to answer the following questions:
1. What in your opinion is the next evolutionary step of humanity? Is there any at all?
2. Do you believe that in the future parents will be able to decide about their children characteristics?
3. Do you think we will ever create a machine that could function just like a human being? Would it have consciousness?
4. When do we reach technological singularity? This century? This millennium? Later? Never?
5. Do you think machines could entirely replace us some day? What would happen to us? Could we peacefully coexist?
One of the courses that humanity could take to enhance our abilities is genetic modification. A procedure which is already in use (there are some law restrictions though). This would allow for gaining resistance to external factors like immunity to diseases, incombustible skin or even make the need for breathing air obsolete. This might sound science fiction to us but we could achieve the same effect if we had told about our current achievements to our ancestors :) . There are ethical problems though that currently cripple any advance in that field also a risk of unintentionally causing irreversible harm like the incidents of genetically modified crops growing out of control and replacing natural ones.
Another course would be the idea of creating something entirely new that would act similarly to us and by that I mean a thinking and intelligent machine. Sometimes its better to build something from its foundations rather than modifying an entity with a faulty design. We already have some progress in that field, there are plans to create a team of robots that would win a match of soccer versus a team consisting of real people by 2050. The main problem here is whether machines could ever gain self-consciousness and act on their free will (perhaps filtered by a set of rules). Another possibility is simply merging our bodies (or recreating them) with synthetic organs and body parts. There already exist artificial mechanical arms and hearts but the most complex organ of our body which is the true obstucle here is our brain. So far scientists were able to recreate or emulate insect brains, nowadays they struggle to achieve a cat's one. But will the person that has an artificial brain still feel human? :)
Additionally to your opinions on the subject I would like you to answer the following questions:
1. What in your opinion is the next evolutionary step of humanity? Is there any at all?
2. Do you believe that in the future parents will be able to decide about their children characteristics?
3. Do you think we will ever create a machine that could function just like a human being? Would it have consciousness?
4. When do we reach technological singularity? This century? This millennium? Later? Never?
5. Do you think machines could entirely replace us some day? What would happen to us? Could we peacefully coexist?
Monday, 26 May 2014
Week 8 - The line between ensuring the safety of its own citizens and spying them
In time when world fighting with global terrorism USA uses new technology to prevent future terrorist attacks, but some time ago all media in the World informed us that under the guise of fighting with terrorism America uses new technology to spy on its citizens as well as leaders
of other countries also UK use new technology to spy on the leaders of other countries in time the negotiations on a new EU budget . I found movie where NSA deputy director Richard Ledgett answers Anderson’s questions about the balance between security and protecting privacy.
http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_ledgett_the_nsa_responds_to_edward_snowden_s_ted_talk#t-854117
And here is interview with Edward Snowden about surveillance and Internet freedom
http://www.ted.com/talks/edward_snowden_here_s_how_we_take_back_the_internet
Question:
1. What is your opinion about that what do Edward Snowden?
2.What do you think about that goverment spy their citizents?
3.Where the line between ensuring the safety of its own citizens and spying them?
4.What do you think about that what Richard Ledgett said do you think that he is convincing?
of other countries also UK use new technology to spy on the leaders of other countries in time the negotiations on a new EU budget . I found movie where NSA deputy director Richard Ledgett answers Anderson’s questions about the balance between security and protecting privacy.
http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_ledgett_the_nsa_responds_to_edward_snowden_s_ted_talk#t-854117
And here is interview with Edward Snowden about surveillance and Internet freedom
http://www.ted.com/talks/edward_snowden_here_s_how_we_take_back_the_internet
Question:
1. What is your opinion about that what do Edward Snowden?
2.What do you think about that goverment spy their citizents?
3.Where the line between ensuring the safety of its own citizens and spying them?
4.What do you think about that what Richard Ledgett said do you think that he is convincing?
Monday, 19 May 2014
Week 7 - Beauty of exploring the world
Traveling is one of the most beautiful and the most pleasant form of spending free time. It gives you a lot of satisfaction, provides you an experiences and emotions which you can not find in everyday life. The feeling of fulfillment and freedom allows us to cut off yourself from the reality and moves to another dimension: with no pressure, stress and fast pace of life. We are more sensitive to unknown tastes, smells, landscapes and this blog will be about these things.
It doesn’t matter what is the form of our travel: lounging at warm sands of Maroco or conquering the highest peak of former ZSRR. You will return richer in experience. Traveling carries dose of challenges - not only organizational challenges. Sometimes you have to adjust culturally, respect others behavior which deviates from the rules and norms that we know in our daily life. Sometimes you have to break down the culinary barriers.
Recently, more and more popular has became the programs which combines traveling experience with regional cuisine from around the world. Great example is here Adrew Zimmern – the host of program named 'Bizzare Foods'. In each episode, the host concentrates on cuisine in given country. In this program in vain to find something 'normal' like donuts, chips and hamburgers. You will rather find there such dishes as: sandwich with a brain, live octopus, bone marrow sucked with a straw, egg with germ of young chicken, fried rat etc. You can see the phenomenon of this program by watching this video recorded in Thailand:
Some other 'interesting' examples of bizarre foods:
Durian – the most stinking fruit in the world. It smells like a carcass and you must not eat it in public transport nor bring it on flight board.
Casu Marzu – rotten sheep's milk cheese with larva of flies which make fermentation and better taste.
Fugu – Japanese poisonous fish which despite of its toxicity it is a rarity for many people. Only qualified cook can concoct this fish remaining only a small amount toxic substance that causes numbness of the tongue and lips. Every year, fugu is the last meal for about 300 people...
And now couple of questions:
If you have no choice, which meal (among describe in this post) would you try?
If you were in Thailand or another 'exotic' country, would you decide to try 'bizarre' food? Do you have any experience with it?
Do you think, people who live in exotic country perceive bizarre foods as 'bizarre' too? What is your the most extreme experience with food?
Describe the most amazing place that you have ever been (or want to be there) and you can recommend to others.
It doesn’t matter what is the form of our travel: lounging at warm sands of Maroco or conquering the highest peak of former ZSRR. You will return richer in experience. Traveling carries dose of challenges - not only organizational challenges. Sometimes you have to adjust culturally, respect others behavior which deviates from the rules and norms that we know in our daily life. Sometimes you have to break down the culinary barriers.
Recently, more and more popular has became the programs which combines traveling experience with regional cuisine from around the world. Great example is here Adrew Zimmern – the host of program named 'Bizzare Foods'. In each episode, the host concentrates on cuisine in given country. In this program in vain to find something 'normal' like donuts, chips and hamburgers. You will rather find there such dishes as: sandwich with a brain, live octopus, bone marrow sucked with a straw, egg with germ of young chicken, fried rat etc. You can see the phenomenon of this program by watching this video recorded in Thailand:
Durian – the most stinking fruit in the world. It smells like a carcass and you must not eat it in public transport nor bring it on flight board.
Casu Marzu – rotten sheep's milk cheese with larva of flies which make fermentation and better taste.
Fugu – Japanese poisonous fish which despite of its toxicity it is a rarity for many people. Only qualified cook can concoct this fish remaining only a small amount toxic substance that causes numbness of the tongue and lips. Every year, fugu is the last meal for about 300 people...
And now couple of questions:
If you have no choice, which meal (among describe in this post) would you try?
If you were in Thailand or another 'exotic' country, would you decide to try 'bizarre' food? Do you have any experience with it?
Do you think, people who live in exotic country perceive bizarre foods as 'bizarre' too? What is your the most extreme experience with food?
Describe the most amazing place that you have ever been (or want to be there) and you can recommend to others.
Monday, 12 May 2014
Week 6 - The Poetry of Science: Richard Dawkins and Neil deGrasse Tyson
Continuing with the theme of science,
here's a conversation between two renowned scientists: Richard
Dawkins (an evolutionary biologist) and Neil deGrasse Tyson (an
astrophysicist).
They both exhibit a great talent for
explaining complex ideas in simple terms that anyone can follow and
find entertaining. That is what made them popular (and of course
their contributions to science). See for yourself:
Tyson got in a bit of trouble for
dismissing philosophy in response to a question from the audience
(near the end of the video at 1:02:47):
He made similar remarks on another
occasion. There was an open letter in defense of philosophy addressed
to him which received some attention (you can find Tyson's responses
in the comment section):
1. So what do you think? Is philosophy
a dying science, or is it still relevant today?
2. What would you ask either of the
professors? Is there something about nature or the universe you've
always found hard to wrap your head around?
3. Do you know any scientific facts
that you find truly mind-blowing or awe-inspiring?
4. What is the role of scientists? Do
you think enough is being done to promote science and explain
scientific discoveries to people who have finished their formal
education?
5. Who is your favorite scientist?
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