McGill University’s Margaret Somerville has a thought-provoking piece, “The Flawed Quest for Perfection,” in the Ottawa Citizen.
Does any given use of this science, in the search for human perfection, damage or destroy the essence of our humanness? That leads to the question of whether at least some imperfections are elements of that essence and of immense value as such. Just like the hand-knitted sweater, are they part of what makes each of us unique originals?
. . .
I propose a very important question we need to ask in deciding what we may and should not do with our new technoscience, that is, what is ethical or unethical: Does any given use of this science, in the search for human perfection, damage or destroy the essence of our humanness? That leads to the question of whether at least some imperfections are elements of that essence and of immense value as such. Just like the hand-knitted sweater, are they part of what makes each of us unique originals?
HT: Bioethics.com
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Maybe because I once had a job that involved implementing warehouse automation systems. Or maybe I’m just a nerd.
Anyway, it’s an article from last week’s Chicago Tribune on how Netflix’s warehouse works. With pictures.
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I just finished reading Neal Stephenson’s Anathem. Very interesting, very complex, and very long (the story concludes on page 890).
It took a good 100 pages to really feel immersed in the world of the book, which involves a good bit of made up terms (the book includes a 20 page glossary).
I hesitate to recommend it because of its length. It would have been good to have a large block of time to read it, rather than spreading it out over 3 ½ weeks, so perhaps if you’re going on a reading vacation. Or flying from California to the UK.
If you do read it, stick with it until you feel yourself really getting absorbed into the world of the book, then go back and start from the beginning again.
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Kenny is an Australian mocumentary that I think works on a couple of levels — funny and touching, with a positive message.
Description:
Porta-loo deliveryman Kenny Smyth is probably one of the most underappreciated professionals on the planet. But without him, this much is true: There’d be a lot more crap to deal with. In a comedy of excremental proportions, Kenny makes his rounds with his dedicated Splashdown crew and ultimately finds himself at the mother of all waste management sites — the International Pumper and Cleaner Expo in Nashville.
Carrier is an actual documentary that aired on PBS last year, I believe.
Description:
Filmed during a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of ground troops, this in-depth documentary takes an insider’s tour of the U.S.S. Nimitz, one of America’s most storied aircraft carriers. Cameras follow Navy personnel as they perform their duties, navigate conflicts and ponder questions about patriotism and sacrifice, all against the backdrop of daily routines aboard one of the most lethal naval vessels ever constructed.
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