Computer Sciences and Information Technology
Topic:
IT and Global Development
Following this we will discuss if IT used in other ways can actually help those in poverty by providing new forms of livelihood, getting access to money, getting better information and so on. Is it ethical to do so? As will become clear to you, economics, finance, poverty are not isolated issues but are closely linked with other social issues such as gender discrimination and gender-based violence, access to education, access to resources, and so on. In this week we will look at some of these issues. Is it ethical to do so? The next topic we will cover is how IT shapes the financial markets, especially how in the world of high speed trading algorithms have become the mainstay of the global financial transactions and the pros and cons of this. Who is in control? How well do we understand what IT is doing to our financial well-being at both a societal and a personal level? Is it ethical to do so? Is it legal?
IT and Global Development
In the video of “The emergent of patterns of climate change” by Gavin Schmidt, it explains climate change studies conducted with mesmerizing models that demonstrate the endlessly complex interactions of small-scale environment events (Schmidt, 2014). According to Schmidt, the technology enables a closer study of complex and dynamic patterns of climate models within different range and years. The climate system through advanced technology has made it possible for humans to prepare for significant climate change and adjust to climate patterns. Technology is considered necessary in making the lives of everyone better. According to Jon Gosier, in the video “The problem with trickle-down technologies,” technology and innovation are being used as wealth and capital since it has the power to improve everyone living. For instance, technology has been provided to improve the health care system, financial systems, and education through the provision of information (Gosier, 2014). However, Gosier states that it is ethical to take responsibility for the outcome of the technologies that are being built by finding ways to include everyone in the technologies.
In another video, “How not to be ignorant about the world,” Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling using a global population, health, and income chart explain how an individual has a high chance of being wrong about what they think they know (H. Rosling & O. Rosling, 2014). The speakers demonstrate that individual across the world considers the different perspective from less researched materials concluding what is happening. Therefore, each aspect must be highly regarded when making fact-based decisions. Another video, “Aid for Africa? No thanks, where Mwenda Andrew states that the media is not telling the whole truth about Africa as it only displays despair, helplessness, and hopelessness. According to Mwenda, the international community is more concerned with African countries civil war, hunger, and famine without also considering the opportunities that lie within the African states (Mwenda, 2007). Mwenda calls for a different approach which should be the creation of health by putting money where it can productively grow and improve income for the people.
In the article of sustainability and ICT, provide that sustainable development can be achieved by decoupling economic growth from environmental impacts and from the use of natural resources. Several mechanisms can be applied to achieve sustainable development using Information ad Communication Technology (ICT). The provided approaches include environment informatics, which is support by ICT application through information systems, monitoring, analytical, simulation, and database (Hilty, Lohmann & Huang, 2011). Another approach is the sustainable human-computer interaction (HCI), which focuses on the human relationship with technology in the sustainability context. Green ICT is also provided as an approach. However, the article states that the approaches alone cannot produce sustainability. Preferably a combination of efficiency and sufficiency strategies would be adequate to stimulate innovation that would create ICT’s potential to support sustainability.
The misconception of humans that the world is divided into two parts, the developed and the developing are reviewed in the article “Factfulness.” The article brings to light the methods used in learning systems where old statistical data is used to explain different aspects of the world. The wrong analytical materials create misconceptions of a divided world despite the fact that several changes have occurred, and people living differently in today’s world (Factfulness). In the article of “The Fallacy of Good: Marginalized Populations as Design Motivation,” Pal states that technology holds a superior solution to problems in society. With technology, designs can be made that target improving the livelihood of the marginalized population (Pal, 2017). However, the designers should are required to have a set of tools that enable them to conduct more profound studies of the problems to provide ultimate solutions. The article offers that design for good should define an economic status for the poor and the homeless, the education system, and the creation of just society. “The Case for Technology in Developing Regions” article provides several aspects concerning technology in developing countries. With technology being considered as the most significant enabler for improved quality of life, most developing countries are still behind in terms of technological abilities (Brewer et al., 2005). The article states the economic issue, including investment capital, franchising, and shared technology as major problems on opportunities of improving ICT research in developing regions. The possibilities for improved technology in developing that are identified include healthcare improvement, education development, disaster management, E-government services, and economic efficiency. The provision of networking infrastructure and inexpensive computing devices would increase the use of technology in developing regions.
Several things are captured from the videos and the articles. The first is that technology is an essential aspect of today’s human life with the ability to enhance the quality of life. Technology which has mostly advanced in the developed countries provides several benefits include improved medical care, education, financial, communication, and financial system. However, developing regions cannot fully access the benefits of technology due to several reasons including lack of economic capability to acquire the technologies. Another essential thing provided in the videos and readings is the need to conduct more in-depth research to obtain facts about the real world. The different version about different things across the globe exists, which creates misconceptions of how people consider things to be. Therefore, it is deemed to be ethical for individuals to ensure they have facts concerning the world and ensure that each population is defined in a better way.
References
Brewer, E., Demmer, M., Du, B., Ho, M., Kam, M., Nedvschi, S.…Surana, S. (205). The Case for Technology in Developing Regions. IEEE Computer Society.
Gosier, J. (2014). The problem with trickle-down technologies. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_gosier_the_problem_with_trickle_down_techonomics/transcript
Hilty, L., Lohmann, W., & Huang, E. (2011). Sustainability and ICT – An overview of the field. notizie di POLITEIA.
Mwenda, A. (2007). Aid for Africa? No thanks. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_mwenda_takes_a_new_look_at_africa/transcript
Rosling, H., & Rosling, O. (2014). How not to be ignorant about the world. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_and_ola_rosling_how_not_to_be_ignorant_about_the_world/transcript
Pal, J. (2017). The Fallacy of Good: Marginalized Populations as Design Motivation. INTERACTIONS.ACM.ORG
Schmidt, G. (2014). The emergent patterns of climate change. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/gavin_schmidt_the_emergent_patterns_of_climate_change/transcript
