Blog 15: Technology Makes Cheating 'Far More Tempting'

Technology Makes Cheating 'Far More Tempting'
http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/story?id=5963955&page=1

It is much easier this day and age for students to cheat. They come armed with iPODS, cell phones, calculators, and videos posted on YouTube that instruct and illustrate how to cheat on exams and term papers. Custom written term papers can be easily purchased on the Internet and all subjects are covered.

As one article stated "Cheating is becoming so accepted that parents actually pay someone to cheat for their child on ACT or SAT tests. A fake ID is made and the professional cheater will take the SAT for a high school student who wants to get into a more prestigious school than high school efforts will allow. It may cost $800 or more, but the end seems to justify the means."

Some schools have implented bans on cell phone and iPOD/Zune use, but students still find ways around these bans.

Some teachers are fighting back, however. In the article "Professors Use Technology to Fight Student Cheating" The article states that some professors are "are using new technologies, including text-matching software, webcams, and biometric equipment, as well as cunning stratagems such as Web "honey pots," virtual students, and cheat-proof tests."

Some people blame the pressures of modern society on this increased cheating by students. True, the pressure for students to succeed is very high and admission to elite schools is very competitive. Parents, it seems, do not help - they push their children and turn a blind eye to obvious cheating that is being done by their children.

I do not envy teachers who now have to spend a large amount of their time trying to ward off cheating and determine if submitted papers are actually legitimate. That is a horrible waste of resources.

Students need to realize that they are just hurting themselves. Even if all this cheating does get them into an elite school, if they don't learn and perform at these schools they will fail. And they will have no one to blame except themselves (and their parents).

References:

How To Cheat In SchoolsCell Phones and iPods Are the Newest Modes for Cheating
http://educationalissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/cheating_in_schools

Professors Use Technology to Fight Student

Cheatinghttp://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/10/03/professors-use-technology-to-fight-student-cheating.html

Blog 14: The Pros and Cons of Online College

The Pros and Cons of Online College http://www.googobits.com/articles/1977-the-pros-and-cons-of-online-college.html


I'm taking two online courses this semester, so I thought this would be a good topic to explore.
In my case it wasn't a question of pros and cons of online learning, it was a practical matter. My job has unusual hours and I am also on call. Taking a traditional in person class would be out of the question.

That is why I was happy that UNC-C offered online classes in my field. The advantages are many - you don't have to drive to class, worry about parking, etc. You can work on and submit your projects any time. In the class I take that has tests, you have a time period to take the test, and that usually covers hours that are available to me.

The cons are that I miss the immediate exchange of ideas between students and the teacher. I miss being able to ask a question and get an instant response. Online, it can sometimes take days to get an answer to a question. You also have to take into consideration that sometimes your computer or internet service may be down, or the university's system may be down. That is why, if you have a project, it is best to complete it before the deadline. That way, you give yourself room in case there are system problems. Usually, the professor will point this out to the students and urge them to complete their work ahead of schedule. Online, sometimes you can feel isolated too.

I think if a person is thinking of taking classes online, they should research the college that is offering the classes. I, personally, would stay away from online only colleges. I question their quality; I much prefer enrolling in online classes offered at a local university. Overall, I highly recommend a student trying at least one online class.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Online Learninghttp://www.learn-source.com/schools/pro_con_online.html

What are the positive and negative aspects of online learning?
http://www.elearners.com/resources/elearning-faq5.asp

Blog 13: IBM exec predicts the future of Linux, open source

IBM exec predicts the future of Linux, open source
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/07/IBM_exec_predicts_the_future_of_Linux_open_source-Network_World_1.html

Bob Sutor, IBM's vice president of open source and standards made 8 predications at the Black Hat conference. Most notable is that green computing will be top of the list and Linux is in perfect position to exploit this. He also stated that he sees no open source replacement for Linux.

He also noted that "The idea of Linux on the desktop will be significantly different. The very definition of desktop will change, and become more focused on clients that sit anywhere from a cubicle to the bottom of a pants pocket. Client focus will be on collaboration via open standards, cloud computing, enterprise appliances, Web 2.0 and rich-client platforms."

IBM is firmly behind Linux, as is Red Hat software and Novell. Linux runs on a lot of Enterprise servers, including Google.

The consumer desktop market, however, Linux does not fare as well. Some experts say just leave that space to Microsoft. One market that is huge for Linux is embedded systems. This market has grown quite a bit.

Again, we have the major threat of Microsoft. Most companies prefer to go with Microsoft for their Enterprise server operating systems. They know they can trust Microsoft, and also the learning curve is not as steep.

I personally see Linux continuing to dip into the market share of Microsoft, but I don't see it overtaking Microsoft.



References:
Commentary: the Linux Foundation and the future of Linux
http://www.linux.com/feature/132203
The Future of Linux
http://www.gregroelofs.com/reports/linux-19980714-top.html

The Rasterman: The future of Linux is embedded [Linux and Main]
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7673542406.html

Blog 12: Google opens up new front in browser wars with Chrome

Google opens up new front in browser wars with Chrome
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080901-google-opens-up-new-front-in-browser-wars-with-chrome.html

Google, the most dominant company in IT today (sorry, Microsoft) recently released its own browser Chrome. As that popular idiom goes, the jury is still out. Nevertheless it has gotten some very good reviews, and, in time could become a contender in the infamous "Browser wars".

Let's look at a brief history of "browser wars". The first widely used browser was Mosaic in 1993. Sure there were other browsers such as Cello, Lynx, Arena, and AMosaic, but not many people knew of them.

The big browser release was Netscape Navigator in 1994. There were other browser releases that year, such as IBM Web Explorer, SlipKnot 1.0, MacWeb, IBrowse, Argo, and Minuet, but they had a very limited audience.

Netscape became the dominant browser and this led to one of the biggest IPOs in history and essentially kick started the so-called Dot-com boom.

Microsoft, of course, was not far behind. It released Internet Explorer in 1995. Most people considered Internet Explorer an inferior product. I was working at Microsoft at the time, and most of the engineers there preferred Netscape, they even bragged about buying Netscape stock!

Alas, as the brief history of the PC shows, Microsoft can be stubborn. Microsoft worked on making Internet Explorer better and eventually it toppled Netscape's dominance. When Netscape was sold to AOL in 1998, its browser had fallen way down in market share.

Today, of course, Microsoft still dominants the browser market, but it does have competitors (some say better alternatives). Browsers such as Opera, Firefox, and Safari have become popular, especially amongst the anti-Microsoft crowd.

Google, with its new browser, may someday topple Microsoft. Google represent the new school when it comes to technology. Microsoft, the old school.

References:

Browser Wars II: The Saga Continues

http://www.evolt.org/article/Browser_Wars_II_The_Saga_Continues/25/60181/

Browser Wars, Again
http://gigaom.com/2008/04/01/browser-wars-again/

Blog 11: Parents Still Struggling with the Ethics of Using Parental Control

Parents Still Struggling with the Ethics of Using Parental Control Software.

http://www.prleap.com/pr/5982/

I am not a parent (not yet, anyway), but I understand how they want to protect their children, and the Internet poses all sorts of problems. Especially with child predators.

However, programs such as Net Nanny go too far, in my opinion. I realize a lot of parents let their children know they are being monitored, but some don't.

What a lot of parents don't know is that these programs can be easily disabled. There are web sites and blogs that tell you how to disable programs such as Net Nanny. Children these days are very technically oriented and they know how to find these sites.

So, what is a parent to do? The problems of predators are bad enough, but also the ready access to pornography. I am very liberal, but I think pornography and children is a bad mix. They are too young to see these images.

Perhaps a compromise would be some sort of block for pornographic sites, but not so stringent that if a child searches on "Breast cancer" they would be blocked from legitimate content.

On the predator side, the onus lays with sites such as Myspace.com and Facebook. Myspace is notorious for attracting pedophiles. There are documented cases where such predators, using MySpace have, lured children away from their homes into meeting them. Myspace has implemented procedures to deal with these people and I think some progress has been made.

Parents in this day and age are nervous and they are using net monitoring programs such as Net Nanny and even microchipping their children. This is understandable, but the children do have rights. A balance needs to be found to make the children safe, but not take away their rights. I think as technology improves we will find the proper tools.

Blog 10: Computers for everyone

Computers for everyonehttp://media.www.mainecampus.com/media/storage/paper322/news/2007/03/01/SoapBox/Computers.For.Everyone-2752016-page2.shtml MIT Media Lab has developed a program to distribute $100 laptops to children in developing countries. The computer has a crank! But it works and connects to the Internet. Libya and Uganda have signed up to buy millions of these computers for their children (school age). MIT says they intend to "invent and creatively exploit new media for human well-being and individual satisfaction without regard for present-day constraints." Because this program is so ambitious, a number of roadblocks have emerged. Intel balked at the low price and a number of countries refuse to come up with the needed money. I think this is a great idea. I would expand it to every adult also. Whenever I go to the public library, I see every computer in use. And there is always a waiting list to get on the computers. These are usually people who are unemployed and looking for job opportunities. They need a computer, or at least - access to one. The job market has changed. Computers are necessary. I'm curious why Bill Gates isn't a big donor to this program. He has been very active in his charities - giving billions to needed causes. I realize he tends to concentrate on health issues, but computers are his roots. I would think he would be active in this area also.

I commend MIT for taking this step. I think they should also concentrate on the poor in the United States. We have too many children in our country without computers or access to computers. They already have so many disadvantages, we need to take this one away and help them. The benefits to our country will be immense. References: MIT finds ways to get computers to all children http://atticmooses.com/blog/2005/10/04/30/ Laptop Project for Developing Countries Hits Snaghttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17894663

Blog 9: Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

http://berkshiregrown.blogspot.com/2008/09/can-organic-farming-feed-world.html

This article contends that, despite its critics, organic farming can feed the world, and feed it in a healthier, natural way.

As the article points out, “Organic food is often portrayed by its critics as a low-yielding farming method that undercuts the main goal of food production – feeding the world.”

However, Ivette Perfecto, a professor at University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment points out that "My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture,"

Organic farming was once the territory of hippie farmers or older traditional farmers. It was looked at as freakish and certainly not economically viable in this world.

Today, even mainstream corporations like Wal-Mart have embraced organic goods. If a company such as Wal-Mart is involved, then other companies will follow. I’ve noticed in my local grocery stores (I don’t shop at Wal-Mart, I still feel they have poor labor practices), a dramatic drop in prices for organic goods.

According to Wal-Mart:

Wal-Mart’s first green initiatives began “as a marketing campaign and nothing more,” according to Mark Hughes, director of the Martin Agency, Wal-Mart’s ad firm. However, Hughes told Advertising Age that in his observation, “Wal-Mart has become a true believer in sustainability.”

The main article references a study with the following results:

Over eight years of data, here's the average corn yield in the various methods:
* Conventional corn, soybeans rotation, 160 bushels per acre of corn
* Organic corn, soybean, oats mixed with alfalfa rotation, 150-1/4 bushels/acre corn
* Organic corn, soybean, oats mixed with alfalfa, alfalfa rotation, 160-1/4 bushels/acre corn

My personal feelings are that organic farming is the wave of the future. It is good for the planet and good for our health


References:

Organic Agriculture Wrongly Accused As Prominent Cause Of Heavy Metal Accumulation In Soil

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/organic-agriculture-heavy-metals.php

Are Wal-Mart’s Changes Enough to Quiet Critics?

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/business/October-08/Are-Wal-Mart-s-Changes-Enough-to-Quiet-Critics--.html

Blog 8: Beware new malfunction in Diebold voting machines

Beware new malfunction in Diebold voting machines
http://www.kentucky.com/216/story/551106.html

In the spirit (and fear) of the upcoming election, I bring you this article on the Diebold voting machines. I do not know the status of the current CEO of Diebold, but the former CEO (Walden O'Dell) was quoted as being "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year". (this quote was from 2003) A dark cloud has been cast over Diebold ever since. Walden O'Dell was forced to resign after this controversy arose.

As my focus article indicates, Diebold is still operating in a suspicious manner. From the article:

"In the case of Diebold, votes are being dropped when they are transferred from individual machines to the central server in a county's election headquarters. When an election worker inserts the memory card from a machine into the server, a green arrow is supposed to light up after all of the votes have been uploaded and added to the county's totals. In some cases, the green arrow is wrong, and none of the votes have been added."

Electronic voting is a big plus on a technological level. Votes are tabulated much more quickly. There are a lot of benefits. But, the system is not foolproof and can be easily hacked.

One can only recall the controversy of the 2000 election, which many people still contend was "stolen" by the Republicans with the aid of conservative Supreme Court justices.

The point has been made that Diebold provides many of the ATM machines currently in use. IF they can secure the ATM machines, they should be able to secure voting machines. This is true, the technology is in place. But there are still too many flaws in the process.

I am usually gung ho for the latest in technology, but when it comes to such an important election as the one coming up, I much prefer using the old technology - even if it takes "forever" to count the votes.

Blog 7: Universal Robots: The History and Workings of Robotics

Universal Robots: The History and Workings of Robotics
http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/robotics/universal/index.html

This article provides a brief history and future glimpses with regards to robots and robotics. It is true mankind has been fascinated with the concept of robots. Even Leonard da Vinci had plans for a mechanical robot as far back as 1495! In 1926, Westinghouse Electric Corporation created Televox, the first robot put to practical use. The first truly modern robot, that could be programmed, was the Unimate, invented by George Devol in 1954.

To some people, robots represent the ultimate in luxury, providing people with robotic maids and even used for sex (which is repulsive to me, but believe me those people are out there and wishing for the day). Some futurists contend that advances in artificial intelligence will produce robots capable of conversation and thought. I am skeptical of this idea, but do believe remarkable machines will someday be produced.

Today we have robots in the factories and small commercial versions in the home. The robotic vacuum cleaner is the best example of the latter.

And mankind does have the fear. The fear that someday these machines will take over. Perhaps people have seen the Terminator too many times, I do no know. People do fear what they do not understand.

The future will more than likely be more mundane with robots created to relieve us of household duties including cooking. The elimination or the subservience of the human race will have to remain in the minds of science fiction writers.



The Future of Robots
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2006-09/future-robots?page=1

Robots: The future is now
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/04/14/fs.roboticsprofile/

Blog 6: Microsoft Sings a New Tune—Wants to Play Nice With Open-Source

Microsoft Sings a New Tune—Wants to Play Nice With Open-Source

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/21/microsoft-sings-a-new-tune%E2%80%94wants-to-play-nice-with-open-source/

Microsoft has been notoriously dead-set against the open source movement. Most notably, it sees Linux as a major threat to its Enterprise server business. There are also very good open source office programs that rival Microsoft Office (though, in my opinion, not yet as good).

Microsoft is not yet letting developers have access to its source code and frankly, I don't see that ever happening. But, it is embracing some of the tenets of the open source movement and that is a good start.

The article states Microsoft is declaring four principles:

(1) ensuring open connections
(2) promoting data portability
(3) enhancing support for industry standards
(4) fostering more open engagement with customers and the industry, including open source communities.

It will release documentation for all APIs of the products. Their goal is to enable developers to create more plug-ins and features for the Office products.

Red Hat, a key proponent of open source, and a major distributor of Linux is skeptical at Microsoft's announcement.

Many other open source proponents are equally skeptical. Con Zymaris, CEO of Cybersource in Melbourne, Australia says "that if Microsoft is serious about improving its interoperability with the open-source industry, it could start by publishing, in a technically and legally unencumbered format, the protocols for Exchange-Outlook interaction."

In my research, I found countless companies, organizations, blogs, etc that did not believe Microsoft was on the “up and up.” The company has a long history of exploiting developers, computer manufacturers, and distributors. I’m not a journalist, but disclosure time here. I was a Microsoft employee from 1993-2006. I lost my job due to outsourcing to India. Thanks Microsoft. I do remember attending company events where the new CEO Steve Ballmer would scream about “crushing” competitors such as Novell and Sun. Such is the mindset of Microsoft.

Overall, I find this a good first step for Microsoft if it follows through and does not try to crush competition like it has in the past.

References:

Red Hat Statement on Microsoft Announcement

http://www.press.redhat.com/2008/02/21/red-hat-statement-on-microsoft-announcement/


Skeptics Question Microsoft Interoperability Pitch
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Windows/Skeptics-Ques

Blog 5: Home Sweet Studio

Home Sweet Studio
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/arts/music/20pare.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

This article discusses the increasing popularity of musicians using home studios. In the past, musicians and bands would have to book expensive time in professional recording studios. You would have to take the time the studio had available and often you would work into the night.

With the advent of inexpensive computer software programs such as ProTools, now musicians can record their works from home. They will still need to invest in good equipment -microphones, amplifiers, etc, but the expense is greatly reduced. And, of course, the convenience is perfect.



This boon in home recording has helped musicians launch their careers. Many record in their home studio and then publish their works on the web using social networks like Myspace.

I am a musician myself and I've recorded pieces at home using the Cakewalk software. It is a wonderful way to record ideas and then full songs. I have recorded in professional studios such as Reflection studios in Charlotte and Mitch Easter's Drive-in studio in Winston-Salem (he has since relocated) and, yes, the professional studios are better. They have better equipment, microphones, and engineers. But, they are also expensive and most musicians can't afford to record in a studio. The process is simple. For example, I hook my guitar to an adapter. I then use the Cakewalk software to record the guitar. I can add effects (echo, reverb, phase shifting) if I want. I can add as many tracks as I want, then mix it down. I usually save the file as an mp3, but you can save in other formats as well. If I want to add vocals, I just add them as a track, it is all very seamless. You just have the learning curve of the software to contend with.

That is why I find this trend so liberating, it has given voice to a lot of musicians who otherwise would have been silenced.


References:

Home Music Recording, And The Album That Launched It
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/05/13/003046.php

Home recording
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_recording

Blog 4: Apple iPhone - Why the Hype

Apple iPhone - Why the Hype

http://ipodnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/apple-iphone-why-hype.html

This article is essentially a review of the iPhone, but it touches on something I want to address - all the hype about the iPhone (and new "gadgets" in general).

When the iPhone was first announced by Steve Jobs, it was almost like the second coming of Christ. The hype machine went into overdrive. "Look, it can browse the web. You can read and send email. All you have to do is touch and you'll find directions and movie times." Apple layed it on thick (as do the other companies with their new, wonderful products.)

Sure, it is a fun "toy", but does it really advance us? There is this big drive to have cell phones replace desktop and laptop computers. It really doesn't work. Each has it's place. If I'm on the road and don't have access to a laptop, then some of the features of smartphones like the iPhone will help. But if I'm working on a paper or a desktop publishing document, I really need a bigger screen (and RAM and storage space, for that matter).

From personal experience, sometimes products do live up to the hype. Take the Dyson vacum cleaner, for example. I was skeptical of all the hype, but my girlfriend bought one and I have to admit, the darn thing is excellent at vacumming. Friends who have bought the iPhone like it, but feel it does not live up the hype. This is not a scientific study, just anecdotal.

The best path for consumers is to research each item. Also poll their friends and acquaintances. Marketing is a strong force in this country and it is easy to be mislead by the marketers. We are technologically "crazy" and easily fall for the hype. That is why we need to be careful. At the least, to protect our pocketbooks.


References:

The iPhone beyond the hype
http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=332213

The iPhone hype starts again?
http://www.lbhat.com/?p=234

iPhone 3G review: Twice the hype, half the novelty
http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_3g-review-272.php

Blog 3: Professors Siding With Jammie Thomas in RIAA Case

Article: Professors Siding With Jammie Thomas in RIAA Case
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/06/professors-sidi.html

This article is about the Jammie Thomas case, who was found guilty of file sharing and fined $222,000. Thomas is alleged to have shared 24 songs in an open share folder using the Kazaa peer-to-peer file sharing application.

The university professors told the judge he erred when he instructed the jurors having an open share folder filled with copyrighted music amounts to infringement.

As professor Cotter states "A download that is authorized by somebody acting on behalf of the copyright owner shouldn't count for infringement," he said. "There's so many different ways this case can play out."

The bigger picture, to me, is the whole controversy over P2P networks or file sharing applications.

The record companies, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) have painted P2P networks as evil, leading normally "moral" individuals down a path of wrongdoing.

I disagree, sure a lot of people download copyrighted songs and movies, never paying a cent to watch and listen to this product. But that is not all they are used for, I have even worked at a company where work material (not of a sensitive nature) was shared on these networks to allow employees to access the material from home.

Independent and struggling musicians and film makers use these networks to distribute their works, sometimes leading to breakthroughs in their careers.

I suspect if we were to poll the students at UNC-C, we would find that the majority have used these networks to download songs, at least. Does that make them evil and criminals? I think not.

The legal system and copyright laws have not kept up with modern technology. These issues can be addressed. One look at the success of Apple's iTunes shows that a legal method can be implemented to please all parties.

I work late hours and sometimes have long stretches of time. During this time, sometimes I download songs to listen to. Songs I already legally own at my house. I don't feel I'm breaking the law in doing so. Another example the desire to listen to an album to see if you like it, before you buy it. You download it first and then decide if you want to buy it. I see old movies on TCM where they had whole rooms - where people could listen to music before they buy it. Some stores do this today, but they only have Top 40 available. If you want to test run Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica - well, you're out of luck. But, there is a good chance you can find that on a P2P network, download it, see if you like it, then buy it if you like it.

I suspect the legal system will be forced to address these issues in the future, perhaps with a case even making it to the Supreme Court. Then, perhaps we will have some clarity.

Blog 2 : Bill would ban kids from Facebook, MySpace in libraries

This is a comment on article: Bill would ban kids from Facebook, MySpace in libraries from
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2008-07-28-libraries-computers_N.htm

I think everyone would agree we need to protect our children from sexual predators. These predators are smart, they know where kids go online and the most popular sites are Myspace and Facebook.

I agree that controls need to be in place to keep these predators away from the children, however, I do not believe the rights of the children and Myspace/Facebook users should not be violated.

Libraries are a source of information and intellectual freedom and we can't infringe on the rights of our citizens. Yes, we know sexual predators and terrorists may use public computers in the library, but it's a slippery slope when too many controls are put in place.

Compare our freedoms to the Chinese. During the olympics there were reports of Internet sites banned, even from our press. We don't want to go in that direction.

References:
Keep Your Kids Safe on Myspace
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/221102/keep_your_kids_safe_on_myspace.html?cat=15

Being Safe on Myspace.com

Electronic Frontier Foundation:
http://www.eff.org/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/30371/being_safe_on_myspacecom.html?cat=25

Article Blog 1

This is a comment on Brain Scans and Capital Punishment by O. Carter Snead from http://www.thenewatlantis.com/

O. Carter Snead appears to be the expert on neuroimaging and capital punishment. Professor Snead is the former general counsel to the President's Council on Bioethics. In researching this article, numerous references were made to Professor Snead. Most articles were in other law journals, but also other publications. I could find no articles that disputed his views.

The article starts with the question "Can brain scans be used to determine whether a person is inclined toward criminality or violent behavior?”

What follows is a general description of some of the techniques involved from EEGs to Pet scans to SPECT and MRIs. Scientists seem drawn to this area because they want to eliminate the inhumane nature of capital punishment.

The author however feels that "But in fact, despite these humanitarian intentions, the project’s aspirations for capital sentencing reform would more likely exacerbate the draconian and brutal features of the present capital sentencing regime."

Professor Snead also states :
In defense of reductive materialism in neuroscience, proponents cite evidence connecting changes in the brain to changes in the mind. The most well-known example of this principle is the nineteenth-century case of Phineas Gage, a law-abiding railway worker who was radically changed into a callous, unreliable troublemaker after an accident in which an iron tamping rod was accidentally driven through his brain. As Harvard experimental psychologist Steven Pinker put it in his 1997 book How the Mind Works:

Another problem [with arguments against materialism] is the overwhelming evidence that the mind is the activity of the brain. The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by a sharp blow or by insufficient oxygen. Under a microscope, the brain has a breathtaking complexity of physical structure fully commensurate with the richness of the mind.

Ultimately Professor Snead argues that although promising the use of neuro imaging in capital punishment cases has the opposite impact of what it intends. As he states “If we examine both through the lens of our humanitarian aspirations, we are likely to discover that the wisdom behind our laws fares a good deal better than we imagined against the assumptions (often masquerading as hard facts) behind the new science of the brain.”

Just a test post

And a general "hey" to all zero of you looking...