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Contents contributed and discussions participated by Joshua Gray

Eric Henderson

Questions on 100 Years of Human Rights by Eric Henderson - 11 views

Rights
started by Eric Henderson on 04 Dec 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    I actually don't think that the trend changes all that much in concern with Human Rights. The author chooses to point out more negative policies from conservative presidents that didn't always deal as directly with human rights. Or at least the negative issues they highlight were left out from earlier years and listed during the time periods in which conservative presidents were in office. There seemed to be many good enviornmental and overall good policies after the 1960s such as the IRNF treaty, amnesty to illegals, and a few good( although many bad) Supreme Court rulings. While before the 1960s you had some very bad human rights issues around the world and in the US like the countless protests that ended with violence, the violent and radical racial groups in the US like the KKK and Black Panthers etc. It can be difficult to compare the later 20th century with the early half since a many strong civil rights laws were passed early on, but I don't believe it means human and civil rights movements have deteriorated over time. Many of those things when inacted didn't come into effect for a couple of years and was still opposed by the public at large which slowly changed as you go further through the 20th century. I think the author chose to format it in a timeline because it better illustrates the difference and change over time. In an article it could be difficult for a reader to fully comprehend the amount of time that had passed since.
Felecia Russell

Science of Persuasion in Courtroom Questions by Felecia Russell - 29 views

started by Felecia Russell on 29 Nov 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    In concern with the first question I don't believe that there is any one time for entirely one or the other. Lawyers and everyone else use a combination of their content and strategies to strengthen their position. Your validity is only as strong as how you present it which is a part of strategies/tricks however you see it. Same with a persons content or information in an argument, while some information or validity is stronger than other parts the presentation of it can determine how well you do. The user in this case is just as, if not more important, than your content.
    As it says in the article, people tend to be more skeptical and less likely to buy in when they are aware of whats happening at the time. In my opinion, being in a courtroom and aware the prosecution and defense are attempting to sway your opinion would be the best and only way to be aware on what is factual and what is mere persuasion.
Joshua Gray

Terrorism - Jihad Etiquette - Islam - Militants - Middle East - Iraq - Jordan - Lebanon... - 0 views

    • Joshua Gray
       
      This article was a little unsettling but wasn't overly surprising. When anyone attempts to kill another human being and justify it they start by dehumanizing them. If you look at serial killers they do it too, serial killers don't start out wanting to kill one type of person. Its a developed thing and when they are finally able to kill people its because they convinced themselves the people aren't actually human. Please no one believe however I am comparing all Muslims to serial killers, but rather know I am pointing out how Muslim Extremists have similar characterisitcs to other killers. If this article had been about members of the KKK, white pride, Nazis, black panthers, or any other fringe violent group that I would have came to the exact same conclusion. They're nuts and they're all over the news, but they aren't the majority of any social group anywhere and almost every logical person wishes them to change their ways.
steve santos

Steve Santos' questions on inducements (Nov 11th, 2:45 Class) - 32 views

inducements discussion
started by steve santos on 10 Nov 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    I believe for the policy side that a mixture is required for anything positive to come out of it. When you talk about relentless effort on it, it seems to me thats what a lot of the partisanship is in U.S. politics right now. Both sides attempting to show they know excatly what will work by being entirely adamant in your own position. Just like about the Jay-Z issue his career turned out for the better when he eventually stopped attempting to attack people and chose to come to a compromise and work with former advesaries that benefitted them both. I believe that approach is what would work best in dealing with issues on war and the economy. Republicans, Democrats and etc. all need to clairfy their positions and what they believe and then get over themselves and work for a middle ground rather than pleasing their base. I would be happy if someone in federal politics (say the president, since neither minority or majority will compromise) right now took the role of accepting both opinions but then working for the middle ground and when that occurs both sides are going to benefit by saving face with their base and also fianlly coming to an agreeable solution that will hopefully solve our current issues.
Joshua Gray

Dr. Marichal's Course Portals (2170) - 32 views

    • Joshua Gray
       
      I thought that the dangerous memes talk was a interesting talk that gave a unique look into humanity and our ideas or memes. It seemed to me that a major point in his talk was to attempt in certain cases to approach ideas in a morally objective manner to determine if such an ideea is a good or bad thing for humanity. Overall I believe that he did a very fine job giving his talk while staying as objective as possible.
anonymous

Questions: The Story of Power (2:45 class) - 31 views

started by anonymous on 27 Oct 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    I believe people who gain tremendous amounts of power are often those who are inspired themselves to achieve something. Whetther it is for themselves or another cause desire and pushing in combination with who they know or how knowledgeable they are in a certain area creates more opportunity for power. People who act more towards the left or the right might have fear of the government but also have many other influences in their life that cause them to believe certain things.
Joshua Gray

Questions on New Insight on Poverty And Life Around the World - 12 views

question
started by Joshua Gray on 10 Oct 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    In this article Mr. Rosling debates the demensions of development, labeling certain aspects as superior to others. While he does make a strong arguemnt, do you believe certain aspects of his argument contain flaws? Such as the minimal importance of education compared to the evniornment as a final goal? Within the Means of achieveing the goal, Rosling puts Human Rights as having minimal influence on achieving other goals. Do you agree? It could be claimed that in the past, having some human rights in a society has led to the desire for even more therefore inciting societal changes etc.
    And which parts of his argument do you believe are accurate and strong in facts?
Joshua Gray

Questions on New Insight on Poverty And Life Around the World - 4 views

question
  • Joshua Gray
     
    In this article the author points out how visual representations like the one created by Bohner's office are often made to intentionally mislead the American public about certain issues. Even though it may be misleading, do you believe it is fair to do in politics keeping in mind that the information is not being forced upon anyone and freely given? Would you be willing to manipulate numbers and charts to fool the public at large into believeing a cause that you felt strongly about?
  • Joshua Gray
     
    NOT the Correct QUESTION!
Joshua Gray

Questions on Chart Wars: The Political Power of Data Visualization - 16 views

started by Joshua Gray on 10 Oct 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    In this article the author points out how visual representations like the one created by Bohner's office are often made to intentionally mislead the American public about certain issues. Even though it may be misleading, do you believe it is fair to do in politics keeping in mind that the information is not being forced upon anyone and freely given? Would you be willing to manipulate numbers and charts to fool the public at large into believeing a cause that you felt strongly about?
Mike Frieda

Question on "How to Cheat at Everything" - 18 views

framing heuristics cheat
started by Mike Frieda on 28 Sep 11 no follow-up yet
  • Joshua Gray
     
    Simon's entire con career was based off of frames and being able to tell what would work with each audience. His favorite trick was admitted to be setting a frame that he's jsut getting a drink and ends up running into him by coincidence and could use some assistance. In the public sphere you see politicians all attempting to put constituents into this illusion that they are greater than they really are and emphasis their better qualities. Obama's Hope campaign, whether it is seen negatively or not, was a frame of future greatness with President Obama leading the nation and a greater life for all.
Joshua Gray

Does the Invisible Hand Need a Helping Hand? - Reason Magazine - 1 views

  • markets, morals and material incentives
    • Joshua Gray
       
      It wasn't apparent to me at first why that would be so, but after thinking it over came to realize that people who work in the market are probably more accustomed to compromising for the best overall result and so by experience have gained knowledge on the best beneficial exchanges.
Joshua Gray

The emerging moral psychology | Prospect Magazine - 10 views

  • derive not from our powers of reasoning, but from an evolved and innate suite of “affective” systems that generate “hot” flashes of feelings when we are confronted with a putative moral violation.
    • Joshua Gray
       
      I believe the author is suggesting that society has previously dictated what a "moral violation" is. So "hot flashes" occur whenever these previously stated morals are violated. If that is the case then no powers of reasoning are required beyond that point
  • Thankfully, neuroscience gives some cause for optimism. Philosopher-cum-cognitive scientist Joshua Greene of Harvard University and his colleagues have used functional magnetic resonance imaging to map the brain as it churns over moral problems , inspired by a classic pair of dilemmas from the annals of moral philosophy called the Trolley Problem and the Footbridge Problem. In the first, an out-of-control trolley is heading down a rail track, ahead of which are five hikers unaware of the looming threat. On the bank where you’re standing is a switch that, if flicked, will send the trolley on to another track on which just one person is walking. If you do nothing, five people die; flick the switch and just one person will die .
    • Joshua Gray
       
      For those who chose a side what happens when you change the situation to you becoming a martyr and saving 5 lives instead of sacraficing another?
Joshua Gray

3quarksdaily: LEGOS and the Changing Face of American Higher Education - 6 views

  • it’s whatever you want it to be, or perhaps more accurately, whatever you can make of it
    • Joshua Gray
       
      Just like school
    • Joshua Gray
       
      The difference in colors of highlights is intentional. I picked blue as a cause or a situation/event. The green then represents a result of either one or more blue highlights nearby.
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