Science Meets Real Life

Humansare naturally inquisitive and have always asked questions about theworld around them. Many questions could not be answered due to a lack ofavailable technology, but many others could be answered through theprocess of trial and error. Over time, the way humans ask and answerquestions about the natural world was developed and shaped into what isnow call the scientific method. It allows scientists to conduct researchin a systematic, organized fashion.

As humans make new scientificdiscoveries, they are able to develop additional technologies. Forexample, historically people used the bark and leaves from the willowtree to treat fevers and pains. This was a traditional medicine thatpeople shared with one another via word of mouth. As technologyadvanced, the materials from the willow tree could be analyzed in a laband the components could be studied to see which natural chemicals wereresponsible for reducing the fevers and pain. Research showed that thewillow tree contained a form of salicylic acid and that this was whatgave it its healing powers. This scientific research led to thedevelopment of the aspirin we use today which is now mass produced (andthat you have probably taken at some point in your lifetime).

Youdepend on many technologies throughout your day that make your modernlife possible. In this assignment you will look at some of thesetechnologies and the scientific discoveries that made them possible. Youwill evaluate both the negative and positive impacts of thesediscoveries. You will also broaden your scope to look at how differentcultures with different levels of access to technology approach the sameproblem – health care.

Part I Science in your personal and professional life

Think about your day from the time you wake up to the time that you go to sleep.

• List four technologiesthat you rely on and would find it difficult to get through yourday/night without. Do these technologies have any negative impacts onyour life? Why or why not?
  • Think about your day from when you wake up to when you go to sleep. Describe one scientific discovery that makes modern life possible.
  • Listas many negative and positive impacts you can think of that thisscientific discovery and the technologies that it allowed to bedeveloped may have. Evaluate and discuss if the positives outweigh thenegatives overall, or whether the negatives outweigh the positives.

Part II Science and technology in a multicultural world

Manyresearch programs around the world focus on the discovery of cures toailments from cancer to mental illness. Modern society invests a greatdeal of money, and time while pushing the boundaries of moderntechnology to develop new cures, and improve existing treatments.

Review the following Unit 9 Assignment Resources

http://extmedia.kaplan.edu/genEd/SC200/1605A/SC200_U9_Assignment_Resources.pdf

• Describe one advantage and one disadvantage to the westernized high tech research approach to medical treatment.
• Describe one advantage and one disadvantage to using traditional medicine as an approach to medical treatment.
• Are there benefits to having multicultural approaches to medical treatment? Explain your answer.
• Could these two cultural approaches both be improved by drawing upon the other? Why or why not?
• Discussany challenges there may be in combining these two different culturalapproaches to treatment that have a very different level of reliance onscientific research and technology.

Basic Writing Expectations:

• At least 1000 words not counting the title or reference pages.
• Include a title page, double space, font size 10 or 12.
• Use a minimum of five sources (with at least one from the Library).
• Include a highly developed viewpoint/thesis, purpose, and exceptional content.
• Free of grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
• No evidence of plagiarism.
• Use the APA style for all citations.
• Be original and insightful with no more than 10% taken verbatim from any outside sources.