Potential Problem with Robots
By Douglas Black
1. What is the thesis statement of the article? (Use your own words)
The article is mainly about problems that can occur if a society is reled by robot
2. What is the main purpose of this passage?(Be as specific as you can)
The main purpose of the article is to discuss potential problems caused by robot.
3. Write sentences and state whether they express a fact or opinion
Fact : None.(This article contains no factual statements)
Opinions:
1.As technology explodes with more complexity, our computers are getting faster and smarter by the minute, such concepts as Artificial Intelligence(AI) are not as surreal as one might think.
2.personally, I don’t think I could ever fully trust a machine, unless its only duty was to do my laundry and ensure my home was tidy, or any other task that a malfunction could do me no harm.
3.State your opinion on the argument or the main idea of the article whether it is convincing, logical, practical, or supported with reliable evidences and sources. State TWO reasons or evidences to support your opinions.
We think that the author’s argument about the potential problem caused by robots is not convincing for two reasons.
Fist, the author does not use any facts to support his idea. For example, when the author claims that the replacement of human workers by robotics could lead to “higher unemployment,” he does not provide official statistical data on unemployment rates to support his claim.
Second, the author argues that robots have no emotion : however, this argument is not convincing because his information is outdated. Nowadays scientists are able to create robots that can display emotions. For example, in 2010 a European research team created the first robot named “Nao.” This male robot can show his emotions and develop a relationship with human beings.*
*See Aloh Jha, “First Robot Able to Develop and Show Emotions is Unveiled,” the Guardian, 9 August 2010. Web 16 Jan 2011.
ScienceDaily (Oct.23,2011)__the largest and most comprehensive study yet done on the effect of biofuel production from West Coast forests has concluded that an emphasis on bioenergy would increase carbon dioxide emission from these forest at least 14 percent,if the efficiency of such operations is optimal
The findings are contrary to assumptions and some previous studies that suggest biofuels from this source would be carbon-neutral or even reduce greenhouse gas emissions.In this research,that wasn't true.The study was published in Nature Climate Change,by scientists from the College of Forestry at Oregon State University and other institutions in Germany and France.It was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
During the past four years, the study examined 80 forest types in 19 eco-regions in Oregon, Washington and California. If included both public and private lands and Private lands and different forest management approaches. “Most people assume that wood bioenergy will be carbon-neutral, however, our research showed that the emissions from these activities proved to be more than the saving. “The only exception to this, the researchers said, was if forests in hight fire-risk zones become weakened, as well as setting the stage for major fires. It’s possible some thinning for bioenergy production might result in lower emissions in such cases if several criteria are met, they said.
“If our ultimate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, producing bioenergy from forests will be counterproductive, “Beverly Law, a professor in the OUS said. “Some of these forest management practices may also have negative impacts on soils, biodiversity and habitat. These issues have not been thought out very full.”
the study examined thousands of forest plots with detailed data and observation, considering 27 parameters, including the role of forest fire, emissions savings from bioenergy use, wood product substitution, insect infestations, forest thinning, energy and processes needed to produce biofuels, and many other. it looked at four basic scenarios: "business as usual" ; forest management primarily for fire prevention purposes; additional levels of harvest to prevent fire but also make such opearations more economically fesible; and significant bioenergy production while contributing to fire reducation.
compared to "business as usual" or current forest management appoaches, all of the other approaches increased carbon emissions, the study found. under the most optimal levelsof efficiency, management just for fire prevention increased it 12 percent; for better economic return, 6 percent; and for higher bioenergy production, 14 percent. about 98 percent of the forests in this region are now estimated to be a carbon sink, meaning that even with exsting management approaches they sequester more carbon than they release to they release to theatmosphere
plans for greenhouse gas reduction call for up up 10 percent lower emissions by 2020, and forest-derived fuels are now seen as a carbon-neutral solution to reducing energy emissions, the researchers note. however, this study suggests that increases in harvest volume on the West Coast, for any reason, will instead result in average increases in emissions above current leverls.
"energy policy implemented without full carbon accounting and an understanding of the underlying processes risks increasing rather than decreasing emissions" the researchers wrote in their report