Assignment 3: Personal Reflection

 After my presentation, it made me think more about the history of scientific innovations and discoveries and whether or not it is biased. My presentation revolved around Alan Turing and his life, and unfortunately Alan did not live a rich and long life. Computer industries are in the trillions and it has revolutionized every aspect of how we live. The problem is that the richest companies or individuals are often not the ones who have created all the theories and technology required for the boom. I think this extends equally well in other fields: fundamental research is often funded by government and not much financial gain comes out of it. Practical, profitable adaptations come in later on top of the hard work built previously and become the winners. Like one of the course readings, the ancient Greeks treated theory and thinking highly, and practical careers were considered low-class. Today seems to be the opposite: we reward those that commercialize products and services, and our patent protects what is claimed and what is sold, not ideas. We prioritize end products, money, consumption, and so much more, while placing less emphasis on creation and discoveries. Some suggests that letting free market rule most parts of our lives might not be a optimal long term solution. Unfortunately, it seems like we are stuck with it for the foreseeable future unless our productivity booms (AI is coming? I don't believe so but one can hope), in which case perhaps we can allocate more of our pursuit to something spiritual when there is a sufficient common ground of goods and resources available to everyone.