Carie Wan

10/25/17
UWRT 1102
Professor Spillane
Rough Draft
Weight Change in College Years

Our bodies and minds are still growing and more quickly than ever. We have a hard time believing that Commented [1]: indent paragrapghs

we are actually developing and that things are actually changing around us. School is getting harder,

friends groups are getting smaller, and who you thought you were is now who you used to be. It is time

for a change, it is time for someone to be able to stop this awful weight gain change in older education.

We need to be able to fix this before it gets too out of hand. We already have so many parents worrying

about their children being safe or not, so let's make it so they can worry a little less. We need to be able to

take control of our eating and drinking habits, but how? Weight change is something that occurs over the

months of college, and we head towards a downward spiral. Commented [2]: Why should we care, why is this a big
issue? Bring it to your audience, how does it relate to
everyone?
A well-balanced breakfast, class, packed lunch, class, physical activity after school, homework, dinner, Commented [3]: Clear Thesis

shower, sleep, and repeat. This is how my life was all throughout high school. It became a routine through

the week, everything was the same and if it wasn't then it felt like an off week. Being well fed, educated,

and having a part in a varsity sport was what my life was. Then when I turned 18 and graduated things

began to change. The routine got less and less, stress go more and more which increased my eating and

drinking. College is what gets to most people, and without thought we do not even notice.

Yes, most people in the United States are overweight. Yes, being obese is a real thing in the United States

too but there are so many ways we could be able to control that. Something like exercise and eating

healthy can go such a long way. Have you ever just looked at your naked body in the mirror and think I

am very happy in my own skin?. Maybe you answered yes to this question, so my next question is do

you ever ask yourself Am I living a healthy lifestyle to be happy in my own skin? Of course, being

happy in your own skin is something we should all feel. This is a body that our parents created for us and

we should never hate it.

But sometimes we need to reevaluate how we mistreat our bodies, or else we will most likely fall into the

1/3 percentile of obesity in the U.S. Wouldnt you rather be healthy and happy than unhealthy and

miserable? Obesity is associated with a decline in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), while weight

loss and exercise training have a positive influence (Hoek). Something like changing your fitness can Commented [4]: need first and last name when citing
sources
make you feel like a completely different person. You will feel healthier, feel better about yourself, feel

more confident. There are so many positive changes if you are willing to make a change yourself first.

But what causes this sudden weight gain?

There are many things that can cause the effect of weight change, some things may include stress,

overeating, depression, boredom, ageing, and so forth. Most everyone goes through gaining weight in

their lives, and sometimes we dont even realize it until it is too late. A lot of times weight change usually

happens when entering higher level education. We begin to get stressed and not realize that we do start to

binge eat and binge drink and sooner rather than later it catches up with us. It is hard to notice the change

in your body because you are so caught up in so many other things rather than just yourself. There have

been many studies shown that weight change does increase as you get into a higher level of education.

With the workload, of course it is easier to eat something quick and easy than to set aside time to make

something healthy. There was a study shown of how many people eat junk food and the results were the

following.

The response categories for each food item were: never, less than once a week, once a week, 24

days/week, 56 days/week, once a day, every day and every day, more than once. These response

categories were recoded as follows: never = 0, less than once a week = 0.25 (reflecting a consumption

frequency of once every four weeks), once a week = 1, 24 days a week = 3 (midpoint of the interval),

56 days a week = 5.5 (midpoint of the interval) and once a day, every day = 7 and more than once a

day, every day = 14 (Deforche).

The information that is shown is not something that was made up. Can you believe that no one actually

does not, not eat junk food! It has become something so easy for us to do. Between fast food, cafeteria
cuisine and midnight snacks, it is easy to pack on the pounds. Unhealthy snacking and calorie-loaded

foods lead to extra pounds, and over time it can lead to serious weight (Campbell). It is all about Commented [5]: this source info gave an example of how
easy it is to not eat healthy
thinking before doing. Focusing more on the end effect to see if it is all worth it in the end.

We want all the time in the world, but we just cant work in the time to make a change in our

lives. Not only does eating bad come into place in college but so does the consumption of alcohol.

Higher level of education can cause a lot of stress and anxiety in a lot of people. When all of those things

start to happen then we begin to change we are as people. Peer pressure is a huge thing that takes a role

also when getting older. The people you meet want to have fun with you, and what better way than to

have a couple drinks here and there? You want to be able to go out with them and not seem like you are

lame. Not only are you trying to have a good time but you are also trying to forget all of the schoolwork

that has piled up during the week. And what better way of forgetting school than by drinking. Well

sometimes we drink a little too much. College Freshman Study Booze More Than Books," of 30,000

college freshmen across 76 colleges, more than half did more drinking that year than they did studying

(Campbell). You know there is something a little wrong when the consumption of alcohol becomes a little

more serious than your actual studies!

Well those couple of drinks here and there, end up becoming something more frequent. And with the

drinking comes weight gain, from all of the sugar and calories we take in. Drinking alcohol potentially

increases weight because it is an energy-dense macronutrient, promotes fat storage, and enhances

appetite (Buam,C). When you get into the level of intoxication you lose control of your body and your

eating habits. You see something you want to consume it, it is just how the human body works. It is crazy

to see how much things change over the course of a few years. Well lets start making a change in how

we treat our bodies.

First thing (and personally the hardest thing) is finding motivation! What is something that motivates you,

what is the end goal, what are you trying to change? It is so hard for many people to be able to wake up

with the intention to change their lives completely. From going out every weekend to doing it moderately,
eating junk to eating healthy, not exercising to going to the gym 3-4 times a week. How are we supposed

to do all of these things and still find them time to do things such as school work, hang out with friends,

study, work, and so forth. Trust me, once you find the motivation it gets a lot easier. You just need to dig

deep somewhere inside of you and figure out what the long-term goal is for you. You need to be

passionate and put all of yourself into this.

The second step of making this lifestyle change is having a plan. There is no easy way of changing the

way you live without a plan. You need the guidance, and knowing what to do next. It is very hard to go

all in without having the knowledge or steps of what to do or when to do it. Making sure that you have a

plan will make it easier on you. Commented [6]: Did good job of staying on track throughout
and not getting off topic.

Sources: Commented [7]: should be separate page also should say

works cited centered overall the paper was mostly her own
thoughts with quotes to support her thoughts or to give
examples of her thoughts
- Baum, Charles L. The Effects of College on Weight: Examining the Freshman 15 Myth and Other
Effects of College Over the Life Cycle. The Effects of College on Weight: Examining the Freshman
15 Myth and Other Effects of College Over the Life Cycle, 7 Dec. 2016, pp. 311336.

- Hoek, Daniel J. van den, et al. Does Exercise Training Augment Improvements in Quality of Life

Induced by Energy Restriction for Obese Populations? A Systematic Review.SpringerLink, Springer

International Publishing, 27 May 2017, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11136-017-1602-9?no-

access=true.

- Deforche, Benedicte, et al. Changes in Weight, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviors and Dietary
Intake during the Transition to Higher Education: A prospective Study. International Journal of
Behaviors Nutrition & Physical Activity, vol. 12, Feb. 2015, pp. 1-10. EBSCOhost. Doi:10

- Weintraub, Karen. Do I Carry a Dangerous Amount of Belly Fat? The New York Times, The New
York Times, 15 Sept. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/well/live/do-i-carry-a-dangerous-amount-of-
belly-fat.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&_r=0.

- Baum, Charles L. The Effects of College on Weight: Examining the Freshman 15 Myth and Other
Effects of College Over the Life Cycle. The Effects of College on Weight: Examining the Freshman
15 Myth and Other Effects of College Over the Life Cycle, 7 Dec. 2016, pp. 311336.
- Campbell, Nicole. Why Do People Gain Weight in College? LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 18
July 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/104103-people-gain-weight-college/

James moody

Kneeling in Sports
Today attending any sporting event there is a good chance a player, coach, or fan will be

kneeling or sitting during the playing of the National Anthem. Before last year the National

Anthem was never thought of something to be protested. All of a sudden this changed; Colin

Kaepernick began a trend that has spread to many different sports at many different levels. Last

season in the NFL, Colin Kaepernick decided to use his platform to speak out against police

brutality. During the 2016-2017 NFL season, Kaepernick knelt as the National Anthem was
played. It took a few games but by week three reporters noticed and began to question him

regarding his peculiar behavior. Kaepernick stood pretty much alone and was crucified for Commented [8]: Good start of an introduction, a lot of good
transitioning terms, (i.e: before last, during...)

speaking up for what he believed in. The United States of America is the land of the free and

the home of the brave; if a person is truly free they should be able to do whatever as long as it

does not impede on someone elses rights. Kaepernick is brave for standing up for what he

believes in, however, many did not see it that way. This essay will show the justification of Colin Commented [9]: I think this is thesis.

Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem using West Virginia State Board of Education

vs. Barnette, player interviews, and opposing statements.

In 1943, West Virginia schools required students to salute the flag and there were no

exceptions. Failure to conform is 'insubordination', dealt with by expulsion. Readmission is

denied by statute until compliance. Meanwhile the expelled child is 'unlawfully absent and may Commented [10]: Strong

be proceeded against as a delinquent. His parents or guardians are liable to prosecution, and if

convicted are subject to fine not exceeding $50 and jail term not exceeding thirty days(United

States Supreme Court West Virginia Board of Education vs. Burnette). This quote talks about the

punishment for not saluting the flag. Some of the punishments were jail, fines and being marked

absent. These punishments are harsh considering the crime those students committed. Later on

in the article the judge states, Any spark of love for country which may be generated in a child

or his associates by forcing him to make what is to him an empty gesture and recite words wrung

from him contrary to his religious beliefs is overshadowed by the desirability of preserving

freedom of conscience to the full. It is in that freedom and the example of persuasion, not in

force and compulsion, that the real unity of America lies (United States Supreme Court West

Virginia Board of Education vs. Burnette). This quote means that by being forced to salute the

flag it will create false nationalism with an underlying resentment towards the government. He
later continues to talk about how certain religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses do not salute

for religious reasons. The Jehovahs Witnesses believe that they were not supposed to praise any

other gods and saluting the flag was a form of worshiping the country. These harsh punishments

forced people to salute the flag out of fear. The conclusion of the case determined that it is

unconstitutional to force someone to salute the flag. Former President Obama spoke on this case

in relation to Kaepernicks protest. Hes following his constitutional right to make a statement,

Obama said at a press conference in Hangzhou, China, responding to a question about the

quarterback. I think there is a long history of sports figures doing so (Snyder, Michael).

President Obama stated that it was Kaepernicks constitutional right to protest. This case gave Commented [11]: Could use stronger transitioning from the
quote to president Obama

many players the courage to speak up and support Kaepernick because he was fighting for

constitutional rights as well as police brutality.

Recently players from various teams have begun to follow Kaepernicks footsteps and are

speaking out against police brutality or kneeling during the National Anthem. This season

Golden State Warrior Guard, Steph Curry, stated I hope going forward it is not about who is

kneeling it is about what the message is and whether we are going to stand for it.(Cacciola,

Scott). Steph is saying the way people portrayed the protest took the message out of it and left

only the image of Kaepernick kneeling during the anthem. Steph went on to say he would not

kneel during the anthem but he did support what Kaepernick stood for. Another NBA player on

the Brooklyn Nets, Jeremy Lin, said I want there to be solidarity because I do not want it to be

X versus Y (Cacciola, Scott). Jeremy Lin is saying that he wants the team to be on one page

and not a few people protest and the rest do not. If a team is split then it is divided and this can Commented [12]: Use of transitions through team members

cause issues on and off the court and as the saying goes a divided house will fall. However, if the

team tries to come to a compromise then someone gets their voice denied and do not get to be
heard. Megan Rapinoe also recently followed Kaepernicks lead. She stated It was very

intentional; it was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he is standing for right now. I

think it is actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media

has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely is not. We need to have a more

thoughtful, two-sided conversation about racial issues in this country(Snyder, Michael). She

shows that it is not just an African American issue and that it is an American issue. She suggests

that it is time everyone comes together to make a solution and hear both side out instead of

senselessly arguing about the protests.

The people who are opposed to these protests are a few people who support the police, United Commented [13]: Could use a better transition for the new
paragraph

States Army or a few NFL team owners. President Donald Trump represents the team owners,

wealthy Caucasian men, and generally anyone who thinks they are protesting the flag. Trump

stated it is disrespectful to the flag and to the United States Army to protest the National Anthem.

He also has a very strong opinion on the protests. Trump is a businessman; he knows that

kneeling will bring politics into football and the NFL is already losing viewers. Football is

played in the Midwest and the South; these are predominantly rural areas populated mostly by

Caucasians. Football is based in the South, the NFL viewers do not agree with Kaepernicks

perspective. Many fans bought Kaepernick's jersey to burn it or to step on it, Trump disagrees

with Kaepernick and is against kneeling. Donald Trump suggested on Monday that San

Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick find a country that works better for him because

the NFL player refused to stand during a performance of the National Anthem

(HuffingtonPost). Trump told Kaepernick that he should leave the country for standing up in

what he believed in and kneeling during the National Anthem.

The NFL has not made any rules against the protests but the NBA and WNBA have. In its rule Commented [14]: Need better indentations to let the reader
know when the transition is happening and when a new
paragraph is coming
book the NBA requires players, coaches, and trainers to stand up in dignified posture (Cacciola,

Scott). This rule ultimately takes the choice away from players and limits their freedom of

speech. When the players decided to protests by wearing an Am I Next t-shirt protesting police

brutality the team was fined $5,000 each and every player was fined $500. They were fined for

violating the leagues uniform policy. The policy states players have to wear official league

uniforms and are not allowed to alter the uniforms (Ziller, Tom).

Kaepernicks viewpoint affected everyone, without him there would not be kneeling in Commented [15]: ^^^

professional sports today. Trumps view is also important because there is always a need for a

rebuttal to get a true compromise. As far as the writers view point it is a mix of Kaepernick and

the oppositions perspective. He feels that there is always a time and a place to do things and

Kaepernick should not have been crucified for doing the right thing. However, Kaepernick also

knew what he signed up for when signed his contract. If the terms of an athletes contract restrict

something then the athlete should not violate that. Commented [16]: Stays in line with thesis all the way
through and doesn't veer away from it.

Commented [17]: Overall really good transitions, ran pretty

smoothly and did not get confusing

Citation

Cacciola, Scott. To Kneel or Not in the N.B.A.? For Some Stars, Team Consensus Is Key. The

New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2016, Acessed 28 Sept. 2017.

FindLaw's United States Supreme Court case and opinions. Findlaw, caselaw.findlaw.com/us-

supreme-court/319/624.html. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.

Harriot, Michael. Sponsors Are Dropping NFL Players for Protesting. This Is What We Mean

When We Say 'White Supremacy'. The Root, Www.theroot.com, 26 Sept. 2017,

www.theroot.com/sponsors-are-dropping-nfl-players-for-protesting-this-1818811912. Accessed

28 Sept. 2017.

Huffington, Post. "Donald Trump Suggests Colin Kaepernick 'find a New Country' After

National Anthem Protest." The Huffington Post. (2016): 2016-8. Print.

Prada, Tom Ziller and Mike. The WNBA Has Been at the Forefront of Protesting Racial

Injustice. SBNation.com, SBNation.com, 24 Sept. 2017,

www.sbnation.com/2017/9/24/16357206/national-anthem-protest-wnba-history-donald- trump.

Si. Fans Say They're Walking Away from the NFL. SI.com, Sports Illustrated, 27 Sept. 2017,

www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/26/themmqb-nfl-fans-stopped-watching-colin-kaepernick-anthem-

protests-donald-trump-nfl-ratings. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.

Snyder, Michael T. "Another Nfl Player, a Major Soccer Star and an Entire Church Join Colin

Kaepernicks National Anthem Protest." The American Dream. (2016): 2016-9. Print.

Erick Martinez

Could the United States Do Away with General Education Curriculum?

As a current student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte I have asked myself a Commented [18]: Need indentations of new paragraphs

number of time the reasoning behind our need to follow general education curriculum. Could

higher education in the United States do away with general education? Over the time as a student
as a requirement I have taken course based outside of my majors boundaries. I have come to

understand that students outside of the United States also follow a different approach in their

higher education. There is a reason why our country decided in its time to incorporate this liberal

perspective into its education, but what was its reason? Have students over the time in this

country benefited to this difference? In which ways have students in the United States have felt

that they have been affected by this curriculum in comparison to students outside of this country? Commented [19]: No real thesis mainly just questions, I'm
not really able to determine what the thesis is that will be
backed up throughout.
In approach to this situation I will be following to perspectives from professors in the United Commented [20]: Lot's of questions, could use a more fluid
transition
States, outside of the country and students in the country. Commented [21]: two*

We approach our higher education by choosing our major based on interest. This decision will Commented [22]: ^^^

indefinitely determine the future of your education by deciding the classes you will be enrolled

in. Based on the curriculum that students in the United States follows he or she will also take part

of general education courses that have been labeled as requirements for the students. These

courses stated by Dr. Cynthia A.Wells, from Messiah College, historically have had turning

points that have entitled both new theoretical interpretations of general education as well a

specific curriculum innovations (Wells). Education has had significant change due to a change Commented [23]: capitalize the beginning of her words also
do not need to repeat your source at the end

to institution involvements and demands in the social world. These courses were included into Commented [24]: Good transition from quote to supporting

the American curriculum a number of years ago which creates the question does education still

need these courses to be included? And Can we do any with these courses? [Look up

references to students in the United States that have a saying in the question (for or against)] As a

current student I have felt both in a positive and negative form towards these courses. That is

because in a way they teach [included research history on why they were brought in], but they

also take away the focus from the student's major courses, that is significant to their education.

Although again giving positive and negative outcomes.

PERSPECTIVES FROM PROFESSORS IN THE UNITED STATES Commented [25]: What is this? A transition or new topic?

Professors in our higher education has a significant impact on how the student ends up

performing throughout their educational career. Therefore, I believe that the professors in our Commented [26]: Good and strong transition

higher education in the United States have an idea of what courses would benefit the students. In

the Harvard Magazine, John S. Rosenberg states that students and faculty are often unable to

articulate the grounding principles of General Education (Rosenberg). This creates the thought

upon one of what is the reasoning through these courses? It is understood that whenever students

come in from high school to the end of their general education they do not have a complete

understanding of the curriculum's purpose. It is understood stated in Bonings article, professor

at Jeffersons college, general education is described a s segment of undergraduate

education that prepared students for their professions(Boning). Stating that the students were Commented [27]: you can just start with general education

place in that time for preparation, but later it was understood that professions in the United States

changed. Revolution in these new jobs appeared to create it to become a difficulty for professors

to keep up with and have the ability to teach these students appropriately.

PERSPECTIVES FROM PROFESSORS OUTSIDE O F THE UNITED STATES Commented [28]: Another transition?

The reason why I decided on this topic for my inquiry was due to my recent connections to

foreign exchange students. They informed me that the curriculum in their countries are followed

differently. There are a number of majors that can be completed outside of the United States in a

shorter time span. Reasoning to the fact that their curriculum does not include general education

as a significant requirement. [ include information about number of foreign countries education

(India, china, statistically higher educators around the world)]. As a student, also in the United

States curriculum I have heard from my peers that they do not put the same amount of effort into

these courses, because they find them to being insignificant towards their future. They see these

courses as easy As for their GPA instead of their educational purposes. Ive noticed as a student

in the American curriculum also that drop out within two years of their educational career and in

my perspective, these are the years that you are placed in these general education courses which

make me ask myself if these courses werent involved could a number of these students have

continued their education? As if these courses affected the students in a negative form or was it

beneficial because they would have not been able to complete courses in their majors future?

CONCLUSION

[Reasoning why foreigners decide to come to the United States for their education? Also

why does it appear to have been the cause to students not having apparent interests into general

education] Commented [29]: Still no thesis in this paper. It also seems

more like notes or a pre-rough draft draft.

Commented [30]: Some parts got a little confusing, could

use a few more transitions in the paper to make it more clear.

RESOURCES Commented [31]: should be works cited with hanging

indent and no spaces in between paper was mostly his ideas
with outside info to support
Boning, Kenneth. "Coherence in General Education: A Historical Look." JGE: The Journal of

General Education, vol. 56, no. 1, Jan. 2007, pp. 1-16. EBSCOhost,

librarylink.uncc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/login.aspx?direc

t=true&db=ehh&AN=25178934&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Gross, Natalie. Education Writers Association. Highlighting Relevance in College General

Education Courses, 14 Mar. 2016, www.ewa.org/blog-higher-ed-beat/highlighting-relevance-

college-general-education-courses.

Grossman, W. Eric and Christine M. Fleet. "Changes in Acceptance of Evolution in a College-

Level General Education Course." Journal of Biological Education (Routledge), vol. 51, no. 4,

Dec. 2017, pp. 328-335. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00219266.2016.1233128.

Rosenberg, John S. General Education under the Microscope. Harvard Magazine, 26 May

2015, harvardmagazine.com/2015/05/harvard-college-general-education-criticized.

Pregitzer, Michael and Susannah N. Clements. "Bored with the Core: Stimulating Student

Interest in Online General Education." Educational Media International, vol. 50, no. 3, Sept.

2013, pp. 162-176. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/09523987.2013.831517.

Wells, Cynthia A. "Realizing General Education: Reconsidering Conceptions and Renewing

Practice." ASHE Higher Education Report, vol. 42, no. 2, Jan. 2016, pp. 1-85. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1002/aehe.20068.
Cooper Creech

Inquiry Rough Draft

Artificial Intelligence is something that just about everyone is familiar with, whether it be

from movies or from an actual academic source. Weve all seen The Terminator and I,

Robot and weve all used Alexa or Siri. What most people dont think about though, is

where will AI and Robotics go next? and what will their impacts be on humanity as a

whole?. This is the question that I hope to answer through research and the gathering of

different opinions.

Personally I feel as though Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will have a mix of good

and bad impacts on the human race. I believe, as do many others, that AI can make life

incredibly easy by virtually doing the work of humanity for us. Unfortunately, there are other, Commented [32]: Good supporting details, and transition

negative, impacts that are both possible and inevitable and could have terrible effects on

humanity and civilization. I do not believe that the positive impacts can outway the possible

negative impacts that Artificial Intelligence and robotics can have on humanity.

AI is one of the most sophisticated and incredible accomplishments of our time and

continues to improve and become smarter every day. Researchers and scientists work day and

night creating new and improved versions of AI which has many people worried. They worry
about the possible creation of Artificial Super Intelligence, which is a fear that many of the

greatest minds in the world share. Others believe that we can prevent this or that it isnt even

possible to create and if it is created that we can control it.

There are basically three ways of looking at Artificial Intelligence and its possibilities in Commented [33]: Very jumpy try to use better transitioning

the future. There is the negative look that I explained briefly, there is the positive outlook which

basically is the idea that AI and Robotics can be controlled no matter what and will do nothing

but improve humanity and make life easier. Then there is the mixed view that AI is dangerous

but can be used to improve the lives of humans if closely regulated and monitored.

The negative outlook on things is the most interesting in my opinion because it is shared

by many of the greatest minds in the world including Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Steve

Wozniak. They are terrified at the idea of Artificial Intelligence developing consciousness and

the possibility of Super Intelligence. Musk was quoted saying sometimes what will happen is a

scientist will get so engrossed in their work that they dont really realize the ramifications of

what theyre doing. at the world government summit in Dubai. This is the concern of many

others as well, Musk is not alone in his questioning of the possibilities of AI.

Stephen Hawking has said We dont know how to control superintelligent machines.,

which is indicative of his, and many others, biggest fear with AI which is the development of

uncontrollable, Artificial superintelligence or even the creation of consciousness. Theyll

become self-protective and seek resources to better achieve their goals. Theyll fight us to

survive, and they wont want to be turned off. said I.J. Good, an english mathematician in the Commented [34]: Try to get a better transition so it flows
more fluidly

1960s, who was worried about the creation of AI and the advance of AI to the point that they

became independent and conscious which would inevitably lead to them setting goals and

seeking resources.
 Bianca Nogrady, a freelance science journalist, wrote an article on BBC.com that talked

about how another fear of ours should be our growing reliance on AI. She fears that we could be

setting ourselves up for failure and disaster by relying so heavily on machines and technology

that could easily fail. Rather than worrying about a future AI takeover, the real risk is that we

can put too much trust in the smart systems we are building. (Bianca Nogrady, The Real Risks

of Artificial Intelligence, BBC.com). She talks about how A system is only as good as the data

it learns from. meaning that, as of right now, systems are only as flawless as humans in that

humans are what they are learning from. By relying too heavily on AI and robotics we could lead

ourselves into some major disasters from technology messing up somewhere that we dont notice

right away.

Fortunately, not all people feel as though AI is such a terrible beast and that it is in fact Commented [35]: Good transitioning

something that can be used to further humanity. There are two viewpoints that look at AI from a

positive angle. There are short-term, positive outlooks and there are long-term, positive outlooks

and they tend to differ slightly. Both are very relevant and reasonable views on the future role of

AI and technology related to it.

According to Kevin Maney, journalist at Newsweek, automation and AI have already Commented [36]: ^^

reshaped our economic system and made a step towards evolving humanity. It isnt necessarily a

physical or individual evolution as much as a social and economical evolution. He uses the

automated gas-delivering robot, introduced in 1964, as an example of a way technology has

already changed society. Self-serve pumps didnt catch on until the 1970s, when pump-makers

added automation that let customers pay at the pump, and over the next 30 years, stations across

the nation installed these task-specific robots and fired attendants. By the 2000s, the gas
attendant job had all but disappeared. (Kevin Maney, HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AND ROBOTS WILL RADICALLY TRANSFORM THE ECONOMY, Newsweek).

Though hundreds of thousands of gas pump attendants lost their jobs, the transition

opened new opportunities in dozens of different fields. Attendants went away, but to make the

sophisticated pumps, companies like Wayne Fueling Systems in Texas, Bennett Pump Co. in

Michigan and Gilbarco Veeder-Root in North Carolina hired software coders, engineers, sales

staff and project managers. Station owners took their extra profits and turned their stations into

mini-marts, which needed clerks, and built more gas stations, which needed more pumps from

Wayne, Bennett or Gilbarco, and those companies then hired more people. Consumers spent less

money on gas because they werent paying for someone else to pump it. That left them more

money for iPhones or fish tacos ordered on Seamless, creating more new kinds of employment.

(Kevin Maney, HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTS WILL RADICALLY

TRANSFORM THE ECONOMY, Newsweek).

Inevitably, technology will lead society to make higher education a requirement due to Commented [37]: ^^^

the lack of low-end, minimum wage, and blue-collar jobs. Truck drivers, bartenders, cashiers,

librarians, and many more like them will soon be replaced by Artificially Intelligent Robots that

will save companies money. Those people that are let go will either scrape up some other job that

hasnt been replaced or will gain education and an experience that will lead them into a higher-

paying field that cant be replaced.

Some people dont look that far in the future though and think strictly about the

possibilities of AI right now. Qian Li, Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Oxford, believes

that robots can do the dirty work for humans. Obviously, robots are less fragile and valuable

than humans and they are capable of finishing a variety of difficult and challenging tasks that
humans cannot complete. They can work in deep water, extreme weather and harsh

environmental conditions, essential in clean tech industries such as offshore wind, where robots

are performing subsea inspections, and dangerous clean-up operations like the radioactive

Chernobyl nuclear site. (Qian Li, The Positive Impact of Artificial Intelligence on

Sustainability, Lindedin). Li looks at things from a more ecological standpoint rather than an

economical standpoint and it is very interesting. We are already seeing people use robotics for

ocean cleanup but we can only imagine what would happen if we enhanced those machines with

AI that could basically learn as it went.

Jillian Richardson, a writer for Intel IQ, looks at the short term possibilities as well but Commented [38]: Where are these people coming from,
why are they put where they are

less on the ecological side and more on the social side. She explains how AI can help with the

work doctors, farmers, and rescue workers by assisting them throughout their day-to-days. She

starts off her article talking about the negative possibilities that I talked about earlier and then

goes into how it could help farmers.

One of AIs greatest impacts could be in food production an industry challenged by a

rapidly growing world population, competition for natural resources and plateauing agricultural

productivity. (Gillian Richardson, Three ways Artificial Intelligence is Good for Society,

iq.intel.com). This is a critical part of the US economy and civilization as a whole and the rising

population of the world and decreasing number of farmers will lead to an absolute necessity for

AI and Robotics in agriculture.

She then talks about how AI will help detect cancers and help first responders keep our

children safe from predators. Cancer is a frightening diagnosis, impacting 1.65 million people in

the U.S. in 2015. Waiting for biopsy results can be stressful, but AI may help accelerate the

diagnosis and treatment process. (Gillian Richardson, Three ways Artificial Intelligence is
Good for Society, iq.intel.com). The possibilities for AI in healthcare are endless and cancer is

just the tip of the iceberg for the future of this technology.

Gillian goes on to talk about the first responder possibilities, NCMEC can scan sites for

suspicious content, store massive volumes of data, run a variety of queries and share the data

across the organizations applications. And AI helps automate and speed up the process.

(Gillian Richardson, Three ways Artificial Intelligence is Good for Society, iq.intel.com). I think Commented [39]: Could use better transition

this is something that is appealing to just about every person in the civilized world as keeping

our children safe is the top priority of any parent. If we can cut back or even totally stop online

predators using AI than I think we should use any tools possible.

In the end AI has an endless number of possibilities for helping humanity but I fear that

the possibilities to help humanity could drive people to create and create without any thought

about the consequences. If we want to further explore AI and robotics we have to create,

monitor, and enforce rules and regulations for the industry so as to prevent any possible disasters

that could be created by this incredible technology.

 Citations

Maney, Kevin. You will love the future economy, thanks to robots and AI. Newsweek, 5 Dec.

2016, www.newsweek.com/2016/12/09/robot-economy-artificial-intelligence-jobs-happy-

ending-526467.html.

Barrat, James. Why Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates Are Terrified of Artificial Intelligence.

The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 9 Apr. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/james-

barrat/hawking-gates-artificial-intelligence_b_7008706.html.

Nogrady, Bianca. Future - The real risks of artificial intelligence. BBC, BBC, 10 Nov. 2016,

www.bbc.com/future/story/20161110-the-real-risks-of-artificial-intelligence.

Three Ways Artificial Intelligence is Good for Society. IQ by Intel, 25 Sept. 2017,

iq.intel.com/artificial-intelligence-is-good-for-society/.

Li, Qian. The Positive Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Sustainability. Linkedin.com, 23 May

2017, www.linkedin.com/pulse/positive-impact-artificial-intelligence-jan-qian-li/. Commented [40]: double spaced alphabetical order

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