Idea of progress: man-machines

ORAL D'ANGLAIS .

OBJET D'ETUDE 1 : THE IDEA OF PROGESS .

• Introduction of the notion
• Definition: The idea of progress consist in an evolution of our society in differents field (social, medical, technologic, ecologic) in order to make our world and lifes better.
• Topic chosen to illustrate:   SCIENCE AND FICTION
• I decided to answer to the question:  How did the scientific progress reduce the difference between humans and machines (Comment les progrès de la science ont-ils rétréci l'écart entre les humains et les machines ?)
• I'm gonna develop two parts : first we will see “man-machines” and then “machines-man”

1. Man-machines

•  Let's begin with the “man machines”
• The scientific progress give human beings the opportunity to increase there capacities.
• Exemple: document about Kevin WARWICK. He wrote “I, Cyborg”.
• Tells how he implanted a chip in his arm. Wanted to obseve if human being can respond to computer's commands.
• Was succesful. Indeed, was able to move a wheel chair and a robot hand using his thoughts
• His discovery may gonna help the medical researchs because it could help people whose nervous system has been domaged, as the blind persons.
• The technlogical progess can also help the disable people. Indeed, artificial legs have been create to enable amputees to walk again or use their arms again. Thanks to carbon fiber prothesis, a disabled athlete, Oscar Pistorius, have been authorize to run with the healthy people on 2012 olympic games

                      II)    Machines-man

• Furthermore, the machines are going further and further in their evolution. Indeed, some of them have been designed with capacities which are really close from humans abilities.
• Exemple: the document “Man versus machine”. IBM creates a state-of-the-art computer for the tv show “Jeopardy” . This robot is able to answer question faster as its human pretenders.
•  Indeed, thanks to a huge database of 15 terabytes which equate at 200 million page of information, he achieve to win the game
• In the same type of machine, IBM create “Deep Blue” in 1997 which was able to beat the world champion at chess.

                Conclusion

• Then, with this different types of machines, we can wonder if these progress gonna make the robots and the machines better than us
• Indeed, the success of Watson and Deep blue call into question our superiority.
• However, the capacities of these machines couldn't exist without human's knowledge. None machine can work if a human don't control it.
• Thus we can say that the human being has a lead on the machines. I think we don't have to fear the technologic progress because it could help us in medical or ecologic field.

OBJET D'ETUDE 2: MYTHS AND HEROES

• Intro of the notion
• Definitions:  

Myth: a legendary story concerning some being, hero or events often related to gods or superhuman beings. It can also be an extraordinary  thing/person/envent or an exemple of courage or selflessness.

Hero: a man of exceptional courage/abilities admired for his noble qualities. Often regaded as model or ideal

• Topic chosen : The music scene.
• I decided to answer the question: “Why are a lot of singer considered as heroes at the end of their career ?”
• I'm gonna develop two parts: first we will see how does the singers create a myth on their characters and then ”The admiration of the fans for their idols”

1. Birth of a myth

• Let's begin with the birth of myths
• The status of each artist is determinated by his actions during his career. A lot of singer decided to use their songs to denounce give support to any cause. They are called “the comitted singer
• During the 60's and the 70's, a lot of singer, especially in the USA, sang and were engaged against any kind of war. Indeed, the main event of this period were the Viet Nam war and a lot of famous people raised their voices against it.
• For exemple we studied the song Master of war by Bob Dylan. He wrote this song to protest against what he called “the military industrial complex”. Using this expression, he denounced the government leaders relationships with defense industry which support them. Moreover, he protest against those who decide to begin a war but are hidden behind their desks
• Some other singers created a myth thanks to their differents perfomance. For exemple Michael Jackson had, on one hand, contibute to help a charity called USA for Africa by writing a song to rise funds for them. In the other hand, he was an amazing showman. Indeed each of his concerts was more and more impressive. He also popularize a lot of dance steps as the “Moonwalk”. Finally, he was one of the first singer to release video clips for every songs he wrote. This different reasons gave him the alias of “King of pop”

                II) The admiration of the fans

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