Critical Thinking and Analysis Questions

Abortion, Depression, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, Drunk Driving and Same-Sex Marriage

Abortion:

Should women have the right to an abortion? 
I believe women should have the right to an abortion because it is their personal choice and sometimes women do not have the opportunity to carry a child or provide for it. 

Should emergency contraception be banned? 
I don't believe emergency contraception should be banned because there are women who don't want a baby yet (even though they should be using condoms). 

Should late-term abortions be allowed? 

I don't believe late-term abortions should be allowed because at that point, the baby already has developed their organs and they have body parts and are living breathing humans. I believe late-term abortions are basically murdering the child inside of you. 

Should parental consent be required for a teenager to obtain an abortion? 
I don't believe parental consent should be required for a teenager to obtain an abortion because there are teenagers who are terrified of their parents knowing and it can potentially cause friction within their family. 

Depression:

Do the facts seem to support the claim that some antidepressants cause an increased rate of suicide in young people?
The facts seem to support the claim that some antidepressants cause an increased rate of suicide in younger people because the side effects are thoughts of suicide and can kill a person.

Do the potential risks of antidepressants outweigh the potential benefits?
The potential risks of antidepressants, no matter how many there are, there is still a possibility of getting better and no longer being depressed. 

If you were a physician and chose to not use prescription antidepressant drug therapy to treat clinical depression in a young person, what alternative treatments would you choose?
If I were a physician and I didn't use prescription antidepressant drug therapy to treat clinical depression in a younger person, my alternative treatments would be mental therapy so the child/teenager would be able to better vent their emotions and can receive comfort for their depression. 

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: 

Should the NFL and other sports leagues immediately penalize players accused of domestic violence? 
The NFL and other sports leagues should immediately penalize players accused of domestic violence because millions of people watch sports and young children look up to star players. Therefore, I believe the leagues should penalize them because they shouldn't have players who are on the team for something serious such as that. 
Should laws that protect children be enforced even if they violate the privacy and rights of the abusers? 
I believe that laws that protect children should be enforced even if they violate the privacy and rights of the abusers because since the child is so young and does not have the ability to fight for their own lives. The abusers are usually older men/woman who use their age and strength to take advantage of a child. 
Is stricter legislation necessary to protect children from sexual abuse in schools? 
Stricter legislation is necessary to protect children from sexual abuse in schools cause schools should be a safe environment for children to be themselves and not have to worry about being assaulted. Sexual abuse on children is a leading issue because children do not have the strength and mindset to protect themselves from their abusers and if sexual abusers hide themselves behind teaching occupations, it can potentially hurt the child.
Is adherence to traditional male (aggressive)/female (passive) roles the main cause of dating violence? 
I believe adherence to traditional male/female roles are not the main cause of dating violence mainly because it can be anyone in any relationship, due to something within the relationship itself or even because of the mental mind set of the individual. Also, there are not only male abusers because females can be the abusers too and males could be the victims. 

Drunk Driving:

Should states adopt stricter penalties for drivers who refuse to take a BAC test? Why or why not?

I do believe states should adopt stricture penalties for drivers who refuse to take a BAC (blood alcoholic concentration) test because I believe that drunk drivers should be taken off the road. Drunk driving puts every single person on the road in danger because of whoever alcohol reduces the focus on one's driving and can cause an accident. BAC tests are there to keep everyone on the road safe and if people refuse to take the BAC test, they should at least take better precautions before they put themselves on the world. 

Should laws be enacted that require ignition-interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders? Why or why not?

I don't believe laws should be enacted that require ignition-interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders because even though it is not spoken for in a positive way, people do make mistakes and it is not right that they will lose their freedom on the road. 

Do you think DUI checkpoints should be used more often and in more places? Explain.

I do believe DUI checkpoints should be used more often and in more places because there are always people on the road who are driving under the influence and there are not always police men who are there to take them off the road and ensure the safety of citizens. There should be more check points in order to change the road safety.

Same-Sex Marriage: 

Does same-sex marriage pose a threat to society or to heterosexuals?

I personally do not believe same-sex marriage poses a threat to society or to heterosexuals because everyone deserves to be in love and it's only fair that homosexuals have the opportunity to marry who they want.
If gay members of society aren’t allowed to marry can they be considered equal citizens with their heterosexual counterparts?

If gay members of society aren't allowed to marry they are physically considered equal to citizens because no matter what, they are still human beings and citizens. However, morally, homosexuals cannot be considered equal because if they can't marry who they want, they will not physically have the same rights as heterosexuals.
Is there an ethical basis for opposing same-sex marriage?

There is an ethical basis for opposing same-sex marriage because some people believe that marriage should be between man and woman due to the Bible and certain religions. 

Prewriting Questions 

What cases can be made for or against _____?

Abortion: When it comes to abortion, the world has two views that pertain to the topic. Many people believe abortion lies in the choice of the woman that is having it and others believe it is completely unethical because it destroys the life of a child. Women usually get abortions either because they believe they are not ready for a child, or simply because they don't want one. Activists that fight against abortion believe that getting an abortion is disgusting because it is killing something that has no control over their life. 

Depression: Depression is a huge world issue that occurs within a lot of lives. Depression is a serious mental condition that is characterized by extreme feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate, and insomnia or excessive sleeping. The cases that are essential with this topic is wether or not antidepressant drugs should be prescribed for children suffering from depression. Some people say yes because the antidepressant drugs should be there for anyone who suffers from depression in order to help their quality of life. However, some people say no because drugs such as antidepressants can lead to a higher level of depression and have side effects of suicidal thoughts. I believe that this truly depends on the recipient and the age of the person receiving the drugs and their entire state of mind and what they could handle. 

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse are global epidemics that have occurred all over the world and either are known or unknown. There are house-holds in which a spouse may be physically beaten by their partner and it can physically and mentally destroy the victim. Also, Child Abuse is something huge that MANY people fight against. For someone to put their hands on a child, who is incapable of fighting back, is completely unethical and just morally wrong. I believe that both of these cases need to be resolved because it is not right for women/men and children to be hurt, even to the point of death. 

Drunk Driving: The main case that is prominent when discussing drunk driving is whether or not tougher DUI (driving under influence) laws should be enacted. Most people believe yes because the threat of severe penalties will deter people from drinking and driving. However, other people say no because stricter laws will penalize social drinkers and could have a negative economic effect on restaurants and bars. I believe that tougher DUI laws should be enacted and social drinkers SHOULD be penalized because if they are drinking at all, they should not be getting behind a wheel because it endangers the lives of a lot of people and that is not fair. 

Same-Sex Marriage: The huge epidemic about same-sex marriage is whether or not marriage should be allowed. A lot of people are completely against same-sex marriage because they follow traditional values and believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman so they can naturally produce a marriage. However, many people fight against the epidemic because they believe that gays and lesbians should receive the same marriage and legal benefits as heterosexual couples. I would agree more with same-sex marriage being allowed because I believe that love is love and people should be able to choose whoever they want to marry and be happy with. 

Potential Research Topics 

Choose five topics that you think are potential research topics for your paper and briefly (in 2 to 5 sentences) explain why these topics are of interest to you.

1. Abortion: This topic interests me because once I complete the research, I will be able to comprehend the ways in which abortion is performed. Also, I know that abortion is a huge topic that activists fight against so I know there will be a lot of information pertaining the reason why women get abortions and counter claims as to why they shouldn't get abortions. 
2. Depression(Mental): I am interested in this topic because I believe the research results can be very knowledgable and it can lead me into a better understanding of the subject. This subject pertains to me particularly because I do know a lot of people in my life who have suffered from depression and I have always wondered what depression was entirely and what the causes and effects of depression are. 
3. Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: This topic interests me because I know that domestic violence and child abuse is a huge world issue that has been going on for years and years. I would love to research this topic so I can better understand signs of domestic violence and child abuse. I have seen children and women with bruises on their body and fear in their eyes so I would want to better my knowledge on the subject so I can know what I can possibly do to inflict change. 
4. Drunk Driving: This topic interests me because I know that drunk driving is a prevalent issue within society today, as well as in history. I personally believe that drunk driving is completely wrong because it endangers the life of yourself and of other people. I would be interested to research drunk driving so I can know what to do in the future to prevent it from happening to anyone anywhere around me. I have the experience of my younger god-sister being run over by a drunk driver when she was 4 years old and now she is permanently paralyzed. It truly hurts me to know that she had dreams of being a track star and now she can't because of a drunk driver. I would love to do more research on this topic and make a change. 
5. Same-Sex Marriage: This topic interests me because I believe that Same-Sex Marriage should be legalized. I know there are many places in the world that entirely prohibit same-sex marriage because of personal opinions. However, I believe that no matter what, love is love. A person cannot control who they are in love with or who they fall for. I would do more research on the topic to better understand the subject and to do something to make a change in which people can marry anyone who they want. I have many members in my big family who are homosexual and they cannot marry the ones they love because of their location. I would love to research on what can be done in order to same-sex marriage to be legalized everywhere. 

What Ticks Me Off

What "ticks you off"?

   Make a list of four or five things that "tick you off." Explain why. (Choose significant things that others might experience as well. For instance, your little brother might tick you off, but there is little chance that this annoyance will yield a possible paper topic). It is possible that one of these annoyances can be transformed into an interesting, engaging, and researchable project.

• When something is unorganized because I am a very organized person. 
• When others talk over me because I don't like repeating myself. 
• When people ask dumb questions because I hate having to stating the obvious. 
• When others make me repeat myself because if they would've listened before, I wouldn't have to waste my breath. 
• Being told what to do because I am very independent and don't like "directions" and rules. 
• When my charger to my phone breaks because then my phone dies quickly and a new one is very expensive. 
• When one headphone doesn't work because I like loud music and draining everything else out. 
• When I don't like how I look because of a certain outfit because I like to look my best. 
• When people touch my food because I don't like germs. 
• When my hair looks bad because I like to look my best. 
• When people smoke around me because I hate the smell. 
• When other people don't match because I am one who likes to match. 
• When others give me an attitude for no reason because I am a nice person and don't tolerate that. 
• When people ignore me when I'm talking because I like to be heard and I don't like repeating myself. 
• When plans that I made gets ruined because I don't make any other plans that could potentially replace them. 
• When I pour cereal and I realize theres no milk because then I can't eat what I was craving. 
• When I argue with someone and they think they're right because if I waste my breath to argue with you, chances are I am right. 
• When I text someone and they leave me on "read" because I don't like being ignored. 
• When a person who I'm interested in doesn't make me feel important because when I talk to someone I keep my interest on only them. 
• When I lose a back piece to one of my earings because then they fall out and I can lose them. 
• When others ask for advice and don't use it because I wasted my time trying to give them the advice. 
• When I have to do the dishes because dirty dishes skeeve me. 
• When someone goes through my text messages/pictures because those are private and I hate when people look at my personal stuff. 
• When I make plans with someone and they are late or don't show up because I don't like waiting for people. 
• Being told I can't do something because I know that I can. 
• When I don't get certain things that I want for holidays 
• When my sisters think they can tell me what to do 
• When I lose something in my house and I just can't find it 
• When people are sarcastic 
• When people wear too much make-up 
• When my hard work goes un-noticed. 
• When people are obnoxiously loud 
• When my phone internet is slow 
• When I'm really into a song and then it stops 
• When there is nothing good to watch on TV 
• When girls comment on Bae's pictures 
• When people are oblivious about my feelings toward them 
• When people act like they're something that they're not
• People who change personalities depending on who they're around

Homework, Part 2 Re-Do

1. Why does the author, Nicholas Carr, feel like his mind is changing as a result of the Internet?
The author, Nicholas Carr, feels as though when he reads printed book/article and he is also on the Internet, it acts as a distraction that prevents him from contemplating key ideas. He also feels that the Internet is a huge distraction in which, if an individual is reading an article online, they can get distracted by other web pages and pop-up advertisements. He also feels that even when one is not physically using the Internet, it can still be considered a distraction because if an individual is reading a paper-back book, they will get so bored with it because they are used to reading online and the familiarity of being distracted. Carr believes that the Internet majorly affects and alters one's thought process. 
2. How does research today compare with doing library research in the old days, twenty and more years ago? (I know you weren't around 20 years ago, but answer this based on what knowledge you have gathered about libraries in your lifetime).
Researching in the old days (twenty and more years ago) was much more difficult than researching presently. Twenty years and more ago, the Internet was not yet created so people had no search engines in order to research some of the information they needed to find. Back then, Libraries were very popular, mainly for the fact that it held a lot of information in which people could use to research certain topics. Usually, when researching something in the library, it may take hours or even days to find the information that you needed where as now, we have the Internet to help us search certain topics and ideas within the matter of a few minutes.  
3. How have Nicholas Carr's reading habits changed because of the Internet?
Before, Carr would be able to read a lengthy article and contemplate and analyze the meaning, but now the internet has caused him to lose that ability because it acts as a distraction. When reading an article on the Internet, it is extremely easy to get distracted because of all the temptations that the Internet has to offer. When one gets used to the Internet, they begin to forget how to truly grasp on the meaning of an article's meaning because they are so distracted on using the Internet to do the thinking for them.  
4. How is reading online different than reading a long article or book? Explain.
Reading something online is much different than reading a long article or book because when you read online, there are many distractions and ways to lose focus of what you are reading, where as a book is straight forward word after word and page after page. Reading an article or book is more difficult than reading online because you have to do most of the thinking yourself and contemplating the key ideas and details, where as when you read online, it is easier to just look up the meaning of something and the internet can usually tell you which can effect the outcome of knowledge that one can receive. If information is just given to you, it doesn't improve your knowledge. It's when you think on your own that you learn something valuable.  
5. Do you agree or disagree that our minds think like computers? Explain.
I agree that our minds think like computers, in fact, I believe that our minds think a lot better than computers do. A computer hard drive is very smart and can do a lot of cool things but a computer is not the Internet, it does not have the amount of knowledge that the Internet itself has. Our minds are much like the Internet because similarly, our minds are so complex that we can create various solutions to any problem, expand our readings as greater thoughts and fix something to make it even better. A computer itself does not have the technology or even the possibility to begin to think as much as our minds do. 
6. Do you agree or disagree that the computer "is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies?"
I disagree that the computer "is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies" because even though a computer is very complex and has many positive attributions to it, I believe that our mind is far more complex compared to any technological thing on the market today or ever. Technology, although very accessible, can sometimes have bugs and viruses in which can negatively effect in whatever computer we are searching on, however, our mind is able to fix bugs and viruses and also positively effect our knowledgeable profits as being an intellectual human being.   
7. Why do you think The New York Times changed its format? Do you think it was a good idea or a bad idea? Why?
I think The New York Times changed its format to look just like a printed article or novel in order to sort of replace a printed book. The new format for The New York times tries to do this to create a familiarity so a reader can feel more comfortable when reading. However, I think it was a bad idea because by taking away the concept of printed ideas, it's giving our mind the idea to sort of get used to the computer articles would be extremely unhealthy for our brains because we do not want to focus more on technology. Although the Internet may seem interesting and can provide us with a lot of information, the screen and radiation from the heat can cause something more serious rather than computer attachment or anything silly on those means. . 
8. What does Nicholas Carr mean by "knowledge work?"
Nicholas Carr means our knowledge takes time and effort to build so it is as if it is hard work. Knowledge work means trying to build and create our knowledge into something more complex and greater, which can benefit ourselves in the near future.
9. Do you agree or disagree that Google has been successful in its mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful?"
I somewhat agree and disagree that Google has been successful in its mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful". I do believe that Google has been the most successful search engine that has provided people with the opportunity to easily search things on the Internet without having to go through trouble, however, I believe that Google can even improve it's efforts. I believe that even though Google is extremely accessible, they should do a much better job at filtering the results that pop up for some searches. For example, if one uses Google to search a certain subject, there should be no bogus websites that could potentially leak false information.  
10. How does Google's mission compare with a library's mission in light of the fact that there is no fiction or nonfiction section on the Internet, but there is a fiction and a nonfiction section in a library, and that all the books are organized on the shelves in a library, but "scattered on the floor" of the Internet?
Google in reality, is more difficult to search than searching within a library because there is so many sources of information within the Internet that can make it harder to get accurate information. A lot of sites on the web may be commercial sites in which any individual can easily buy out and use to give out false information. Also, people who can buy websites can also buy their rank on Google and where they show up when first searching a certain topic. However, When searching in a library, every section is labeled and separated into certain categories that make it more convenient to search for information and even though it is more time consuming, the information is more accurate because it came from actual books and novels that authors have written directly.  
11. Do you think it would be a good thing if your own brain and intelligence were "supplemented, or even replaced, by an artificial intelligence?" Why or why not?
I do not think it would be good if my own brain and intelligence were "supplemented, or even replaced, by an artificial intelligence" because our minds are what make us unique. Each individual has a different mind set and knowledge that can expand as far as we want and using an artificial intelligence is unethical because it takes away our ability to contemplate and conceive our own individual ideas. The human brain is so complex that it can create moments and ideas that an artificial intelligence just can't compare to. Our brains are very unique.  
12. Do you think that the human brain is "just an outdated computer that needs a faster processor and a bigger hard drive?" Why or why not?
I do not think the human brain is "just an outdated computer that needs a faster processor and a bigger hard drive" because I believe the human brain has an infinite amount of uses that can expand more than we can begin to contemplate. I believe the brain is already a fast processor because of our ability to contemplate certain ideas and create uniquely new ones. Our brain is actually much more advanced and much more expanded than an old computer because it has the ability to do anything we want it to.  
13. What do you think about your own surfing habits, the links you click on and the pages you view, being an opportunity for "Google and other companies to collect information about you and to feed you advertisements?"
I believe Google and other major companies within the internet can process what links we mostly click on and they use those statistics to advertise toward our likes and dislikes. Television companies do the same thing. When watching TV and a commercial comes on, it can either be a national commercial in which everyone sees or it can be a local commercial that is specially made to benefit the likes and needs of citizens.  
14. How do your surfing habits compare to reading a book? Do you agree or disagree that companies online, collecting data about us by what we click on and view, are using subversive tactics to discourage "leisurely reading," and "slow, concentrated thought?" Are you yourself driven to distraction while on the Web? How or how not?
My surfing habits are much different compared to when reading a book. When I read a printed book, I give my mind the opportunity to process information better, where as when I'm on the internet, I easily get bored with an article and look for ways to complete it much faster. I do feel like companies advertise against "leisure reading" because it advertises for an idea of quickly finishing information rather than accurately completing information. However, other people basically rely on the Internet now-a-days because of it's accessible ways and they lack the knowledge someone like I may have.
15. Do you agree with Socrates that the development of writing led to people using the written word as a substitute for the knowledge they carried around in their heads? Why or why not?
I do agree with Socrates when he says that the development of writing led to people using the written word as a substitute for the knowledge they carried around in their heads because he's basically saying that our minds are more complex than the words we just write out to try to explain ourselves. No matter what we write or the words we create, it will always be nothing compared to the knowledge within our minds. 
16. Do you think the Internet is doing the same thing? Why or why not? How or how not?
I do believe the Internet is doing the same thing because it is taking away our ability to contemplate big ideas and concepts by distracting us with the easy and accessible ways in which we can use to get information quicker. However, this is extremely unhealthy because it is better to use our minds to contemplate key ideas so that we can expand our knowledge with everything that we learn. 
17. How do your own reading habits compare to what Nicholas Carr describes in this article?
My own reading habits compare to what Nicholas Carr describes in his article because I also get distracted while reading a lengthy article because my mind gets bored and wanders somewhere else. However, I do believe that it depends whether or not I am interested in the printed-back book that I am reading. Sometimes I do get distracted even from a book I am extremely into because I am so used to always being able to use the Internet to do something that I am more interested in.  
18. So, do you think Google really is making us stupid? Why or why not? How or how not?
I do think Google is making us stupid because it is taking away our ability to be unique individuals. It also takes away our skills of contemplating and conceiving ideas that can expand our knowledge. Without the ability to use our own minds and our own ideas, we can get lost within the Internet because it is blocking our chance to think for ourselves using our own brains.