SCIENCE IN PUBLIC

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/A-Talk-That-Features-Human-Dog

Project Nim documentary

          For the Values of Science project, we have decided to analyze two texts: Project Nimand a Ted Talk with Melody Jackson, head researcher in teaching dogs to talk at Tech. In order to do this, we plan on creating a website that will have side-by-side comparisons of the pros and cons of animal testing. Project Nim focusses primarily on the negative aspects of animal testing with detrimental results on the animals. The Ted Talk focusses on how animals and humans can have a symbiotic relationship, in which each benefits from the interactions. This will help to demonstrate how compassion functions in science and scientific research.

We chose these two texts, or videos, for three reasons: we like animals and we are fascinated by the different potential outcomes of animal testing, as well as the differences in motivation behind teaching animals to communicate. One type of animal testing is exemplified through sticking animals with needles and using them as lab rats to test new drugs. The other type is teaching animals to pick up new skills. This type of animal testing focusses more on the compassion between humans and animals. However, there are different motivations between teaching chimpanzees to talk and teaching dogs to talk, something that has a major impact on the outcomes of the experiments.

          Caroline will be responsible for designing and building the frame of the website. In addition to this, she will also be responsible for revising the text and contributing ideas for the comparing/contrasting of the texts. Riley will be responsible for drafting the supported argument and helping to create the website, in terms of presenting ideas and deciding the most user-friendly layout for the website. It will be done by the due date! We don’t dislike each other (we might be living together) so hopefully this works out well. Otherwise, we may be rethinking the living situation next year…Yay English!