ANT 261

Science, Policy, and Society

Superweeds (26 Apr)

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The Weasel book does not cover one of the outcomes of the use of GM foods. Today will be a bit of a tangent, looking at one of the biggest challenges coming from GM foods: superweeds. GMO's giving rise to … [Read more]

GM Foods (24 Apr)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSmA1mKwFyg&list=PLEB0ECC50349D4CCA Vandana Shiva: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG17oEsQiEw Golden Rice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayv_EYi43E8 When the first successful prototype of Golden Rice had … [Read more]

GMO Food Fight (17 Apr)

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Diamond v. Chakrabarty In 1972, Chakrabarty developed a strain of bacteria that could degrade oil; his patent was rejected by the US Patent and Trademark Office since ‘living organisms are not patentable.’ In 1980, the Supreme Court decided that a … [Read more]

Discourse and Lifecycles (25 Mar)

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How we talk about things betrays our assumptions, ideological perspectives, and social categorization of particular objects or practices. This is why we look at discourse. All discourse really means is how we talk about things – but when we talk … [Read more]

Turkle and the Birth of the Internet (18 Mar)

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The next couple of readings focus on the impact of information technology on society. Computers and artificial intelligence are another “hybrid” where science, religion, and society intersect. In fact, the development of computers and information … [Read more]