portfolio item 5

Portfolio Item 5:

Albert Einstein once sighed: “If I had known the effects of the atomic bomb, I would have become a match-maker.”

Technology itself is a double-edged sword, and brain mapping is not an exception. It has its own potential positive and negative effects on the society. Since the question only asks for its potential unethical abuse, I should just mention about this aspect here. Yes! What are the potential unethical abuses of the brain mapping? After reading the two articles again and again, I think the followings are the potential unethical abuse of the brain mapping:

1) Do the brain mapping test without the consent from the tester. This is extremely unethical. This is because if some testers are being forced to do the test, they might be nervous. Probably the result will not be as accurate as those testers who are willing to do the brain mapping test themselves.

2) Do the brain mapping test on children. In my opinions, it is definitely not approvable to do so. This is because after the test, some children will be attached to some categories grouped based on the result of the test. This might probably cause children from being treating unfairly as their parents and teachers may really think that this is the real and fix potential that these children can reach and not going to develop their talents or interests anymore. If this happens, it is pretty unfair for children as everything can be changed with learning and environment. (Caplan, 2003)

Since there are some potential unethical abuses of brain mapping, we should minimize these from happening and the followings are my suggestions:

1) Standards and rules are really essential for this brain mapping test. For example, children are not allowed to do this test until they reach eighteen. Also, the officers should request consent from the tester.

2) Regular checking, once per year, is recommended as the result can be changed after a certain period of time.

Marano, L. (2003, June 3). Ethic and mapping the brain.
Retrieved October 30, 2008, from
http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/neuro/brain_mapping_ethic.htm

Portfolio Item 4

Portfolio Item 4

Basically, there are three main difficulties that I have faced in writing an academic essay. First, I lack of the skill in shortening the sentences. As a result, my essays always exceed the word limit. It was really a hard time for me to restructure and shorten them. However, with the lessons I had on reducing the clauses in EG1471, my skill seems improved but certainly there is still much room for improvement. Therefore, I have to continue to work hard on this as I believe this might be helpful for me in writing lab reports and doing project works next time. Second, before I had the lessons on the referencing, I did not even know that there is a proper way in doing so. Hence, I used to write “the author said that…” or “…(who) stated that…” without putting a proper citation in the sentence and did not even know that I need to include the referencing part at the end of the essay. Referencing is essential in essay as it helps preventing you from against the copyright policy if you quote someone’s words or ideas. Although I have not mastered it fully yet, I find myself improved in this area, too. Third, do you guys still remember the article, a comma costs millions, that shared by Mrs Jenny Gan in class? This might sound unbelievable, at least for me before I really read the article. I used to put whatever punctuation whenever and wherever I liked as long as the sentence is smooth. However, after reading this article, I tend to pay more attention to the punctuation now. This is because it might not cost me millions of dollars now if I make a punctuation mistake but I will probably develop a bad habit in using wrong punctuation if I continue ignoring it.

Portfolio Task Item3

DPM Tan had explained the tactics to fulfill the target of the Masterplan. First, infocomm security is not new in Singapore. Its plans have been carried out for a very long time. Moreover, laws are passed to recognize the usage of digital signatures in banking and finance sectors. However, due to relying on infocomm technology, there are increasing cases of cyber attacks. Thus, we have to cooperate with each other to defend and stop this from happening under the Masterplan. Its aims are to shield the important infocomm infrastructure, assure security in public sector and help to create a reliable surrounding for business. Furthermore, the Masterplan has suggested tactics to protect the infocomm surrounding for the people, private and public sectors through a series of programmes. It also pursues to establish national abilities to improve R&D in security technology and assure a reliable national infrastructure. Second, many intelligent security professionals are demanded to carry out essential security programmes; help us attract more well-known infocomm security companies to setup their operations here. Another important factor is the quality of the product and R&D abilities. This has been inspected based on international security standard by IDA under Common Criteria Certification Scheme. The mostly important national infocomm infrastructure is the controlling centre of national economy. Hence, the Masterplan pursues to protect this proactively by assuring that susceptibilities are diminished and attacks are found early through the National Cyber-threat Monitoring Centre. Lastly, everyone has to play a part in infocomm security. We must have responsibility in the security of our own assets, perceive the possible cascading effects of infocomm security mistakes and be responsible and secure user of infocomm technologies by maintaining latest safe infocomm practices. In conclusion, the Masterplan has to be reviewed, re-appraised and re-modified in order to give enough protection to our infocomm assets and investments.
(305 words)


The original passage is in the following link:
http://www.igov.gov.sg/News/Speeches/KS_MrPeterHoInfocommSecurity22Feb2005.htm