It has been a while since we have posted! In the intervening weeks--which encompassed the ten day hiatus of Easter vacation--we have done the Mathematics unit and again begun to work on presentations. In the Mathematics unit we examined the axiom-theorem structure which the Greeks invented and how logic operates in this system. We also made connections between math and the arts. For example, we looked at fractals and watched a brief video of Benoit Mandelbrot, their creator/discoverer. Students in groups also presented different math/art topics including the Golden Section, the art of M.C. Escher, Linear Perspective, and the relationship of math to music that in the West began with Pythagoras.
We looked at how math can be creative. Finally we spoke of how Kurt Goedel (a friend of Einstein) proved that not all mathematical truth can be proven, that is, that there are true theorems that cannot be proven from the given axioms, a curious situation for a discipline that is so rigorous and precise.
With all this done, it is time to turn our attention to presentations. Could someone from each group record the real-life situation and the knowledge issue that have been selected. What problems have you encountered? Sign with the initials of the people in the group.
Group Members: Flaminia A. and Chiara
ReplyDeleteQuestion: is Google Street View and invasion of privacy?
Real Life Situation: Google Street view is a tool that allows people to observe and explore various locations on the earth in many different cities. This has been as a true invasion of privacy and has raised many concerns.
Knowledge issue: is it ethical?
Research: we have checked out engineering blogs and researched on the details of the Google Street view functions. we have read through many articles on the issues and also found many pictures of strange situations caught by the google camera.
Problems: there are many different and contrasting points of view to analyze.
Can various forms of fan art truly be considered art?
ReplyDeleteThe real life situation here is the presence of fan art, works that focus on paying homage to or extending books, movies, TV shows, etc. Fan art has become even more popular with the internet.
The knowledge issue is: what is art, and what constitutes as art?
Any minor problems have been finding suitable examples of fan art that would show both sides of the argument.
Lexanne, Zairen, and Francesca
Question: How can we know and to what extent can suicide be justified to be right or wrong?
ReplyDeleteReal Life Situation: A man escaped into the forest because of a terrible sense of guilt he had; he thought he killed two people in an accident. He left himself to starve to death.
Knowledge Issue: Are different suicides judged differently ethically?
Research: Chapter on ethics, different articles with different examples of suicide (caused by different reasons).
Problems: How will we present? We were thinking of a video but weren't sure how to actually do one.
Group: Ginevra P, Virginia S, Camilla V, Lucrezia S, Nikki G
Question: Is homosexuality a choice?
ReplyDeleteReal Life Situation: The controversy that has been made for a long time about whether or not homosexuality is a personal choice or a physical inclination.
The knowledge issue: Is homosexuality influenced by emotion-reason or by the senses/natural sciences?
We are going to use the tok wheel and research how each part of it entails our issue.
Group: IV AGD FP