Courtship Behaviour

 In Biology class, we have been covering the topic of animal response and behaviour as to how they got their food resources and how their characteristics give them benefits that allow them to survive and mate. One of the behaviours we have learnt in class is how animals behave when looking for a mate. They also have a behaviour called courtship. Courtship is described as mate-selection rituals, this behaviour may involve animals doing many complicated things, such as dancing, touching, vocalisations, visual displays of bright colours, size or fighting prowess or via pheromones. Every courtships behaviours are different for each individual even if they are same species. The males are usually the one who are performing this ritual and females are the one that selects or rejects the male individual. 

One of the known samples of courtship in animals is the courtship behaviour of peacocks. To find a potential mate, a peacock would unravel their tail feathers in a certain way to show off their bright and distinctive colour to a peahen. This behaviour is an example of displaying their beauty. But their distinctive colour also has a meaning to it, if the peahen has selected the peacock due to its colour, it suggests that this specific peacock has the best fitness, hence why they are selected. Also, females consider their physical features to ensure that their mate is fit so that they could have a high chance of survival. And also they can have important consequences for the reproductive success and overall fitness of individuals within a population. 

The Fairness/ Justice Approach

 In Health class, we have started off our new topic and it's about ethical issues and how we approach this. In the past few days, we have been learning about all the approaches. One of the approaches is about fairness/justice approach.

The Fairness (or Justice) Approach 

The principle states: ‘Treat people the same unless there are morally relevant differences between them.’

• Focuses on how fairly or unfairly our actions distribute benefits and burdens among the members of a group. 

• Fairness requires consistency in the way people are treated. 

• The principle states: "Treat people the same unless there are morally relevant differences between them." 

And today in class, we have made a hero named 'Koro'. This hero represents the jury, because as we all know the jury is the one that judges the people equally in the court. They look at the evidence and reasoning of both people present in the court fairly. Their decision does not have any biases. They are the ones that make sure that laws are being followed. The goal of the jury is to render an impartial decision based on the facts and the law provided by the judge. The jury’s job is to serve justice by rendering a fair, impartial verdict on the proceedings.

Potato Tools

 In level 3 Biology class, we tried to recreate some of the stone tools that were made and used by our early ancient hominids. Instead of recreating it using an actual stone, we have used four potatoes and a knife to chop or curve the shape that we desire for each tool culture - Oldowan, Aucheulean, Moustreian, and Upper Paleolithic. 

According to scientists, it is believed that the appearance of the stone tools occurs approximately during the middle of climate change in Africa. The climate was changing and it becoming drier and colder, causing the environment of hominids to change, from having lots of trees to savannah. Because of the changes in the climate and the habitat, they become more exposed to others becoming prey. These tools that were hominids made would have provided them with an adaptive advantage, particularly in getting food sources. 

As we can see in the stone tools that were made starting from Oldowan tools to Acheuean tools to Mousterian tools and lastly to Upper Paleolithic tools, we can see development and how the quality of the tools increases. This means that as the quality of the tools increases, the number of blows that the hominids did to get to the tools that they require also increases. Also, this means that since the quality of the tools is getting better as the hominids progress, they use the tools to require food resources. And because the tools are getting better early hominids were able to obtain food with better nutrients, hence, allowing them to get enough nutrients for their brains. Getting enough energy for the brain is very essential for brain development and function. If the brain were able to function, it means that it would have the ability to get better food and a higher chance of hunting in a collective group.

Klara and The Sun post reading review

 Task:

Locate 3-5 new vocabulary words in the articles and define them.
- ludicrous: amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity, incongruity, exaggeration, or eccentricity.
- mysophobia: an extreme fear of germs.

- benevolent: well-meaning and kindly; having a desire to do good

According to the articles, what important themes/ideas does Klara and the Sun raise? Answer in complete sentences, with accompanying explanations as necessary (think of who your audience is)

 

After reading the article from The Guardian, the important themes/ideas that Klara and the Sun raised is the significance of love. What love could make a person do, the things that we can do just for the sake of our loved ones. The article talked about how "two different types of love: one that is selfish, overprotective and anxious, and one that is generous, open and benevolent." This statement are talking about how Josie's mother planned to use Klara(AF) and made her like Josie by implanting the 

if Josie did not survive her illness.

Locate another article about Klara and the Sun and record something new that you learned after reading it. Link the article in your post. 

The article from The Atlantic somewhat talked about how an artificial(AI/AF) perceives the world differently compared to some humans. As in this book Klara, the AF is very hopeful and believes that Josie would survive her illness and live for a long time. On the other hand, Chrissie,  Josie's mother almost gives up on her. 

To be honest, while reading Klara and the Sun I did not fully understand what the book is about because I was not in the class when they started the book. But after reading some articles about the book I have learnt that Klara is powered by solar or the Sun. Therefore, this made me understand why she is talking to the Sun for it to cure Josie. 

Connection Blog post (DRAFT)

 What connections can you draw so far between Klara and the Sun and Blade Runner 2049? For example, themes/ideas, characters, relationships, style, etc.?

The connection that I can see between Klara and the Sun and Blade Runner 2049 is the discrimination that was going on in the texts. For example, in Blade Runner 2049, bio-engineered replicants like K/Joe are viewed differently because of their social status. How the humans think negatively of them because replicants have more opportunities because how replicants are genetically edited to be higher than others. While in Klara and the Sun, lifted people like Josie are also discriminated against by not lifted people because of the genetically edited, because of how they also have more opportunities. Another discrimination that we understand in the book was that some Artificial Friends like Klara are also poorly treated by humans, thinking they are just robots that are made to follow orders.

In both texts, we saw how the characters developed an emotional attachment to others, for example, the relationship between K and Joi, also K and Deckard, and the relationship between Klara and Josie. In the relationship between K and Joi, we have seen romantic feelings - the love of K for Joi and Joi's love for K. Also, in Klara and the Sun, we have also seen how Josie loves her best friend Klara. And just like in the ending quoted "love is not about what inside the person but it's about other people's love".

Another connection between both texts is the environment the character was living in. For instance, in Klara and the Sun, the place that they live in is polluted. Breathing the air is unbearable, it gives off negative effects on the character. As we also hear how Klara hates and fears the "cooting machine" because of how they spew out pollution that entirely blocks the sun's rays. In Blade Runner 2049, we have also seen a mess and polluted, dirty industrialized environment. The air is full of dirt and emission. 

• Has your understanding of what it means to be human/have personhood changed since studying these texts? How so?

After studying the two texts, my view about personhood did not change because I believe that personhood is about being aware of yourself and your surroundings. And how much a person can do things for the sake of others. For example, in Klara and the Sun, Klara showed her personhood by sacrificing her special liquid to the Sun, so that Sun would help Josie get better. Sacrificing yourself was also seen in the Blade Runner 2049, remember how K sacrifice himself for the relationship and well-being of Deckard and Anna.

BONUS QUESTION!

• What does the film Gattaca suggest is a positive defining characteristic of humanity? (Think about our guy Vincent.) How about a negative defining characteristic of humanity? Super extra bonus: Do we see parallels in Klara or BR2049?

The only positive characteristic of humanity that I observe from the Gattaca, is how eager and persistent a person can be if they put their mind to it and their dream.

Osmosis Experiment

In Biology Science, we did an osmosis experiment where we put an equal amount of solute in 3 different beakers. In the 2 different beakers, we put different solutes- salt and sugar.  In the other beaker, we didn't put any solute, it was just plain water. Water is the solvent in this experiment, meaning the solute(salt and sugar) is being dissolved in the water creating a solution. 

Osmosis: Water movement across the seme-permeable membrane. From high concentration to low concentration

Hypothesis: The solution can be Isotonic(met equilibrium), Hypotonic(low concentration solute), and Hypertonic(high concentration solute). 

For the gummy bear in just water, I think the gummy bear will expand in size and volume due to being hypertonic compared to just normal water. Meaning the water will enter the gummy bear. 

The gummy bear in the salt solution will shrivel in size and volume because of hypotonicity, the water will leave. This is also because there are three-tablespoon scoops of salt and there is also only 50ml of water. 

While the gummy bear is in the sugar solution, I think it will increase in size and volume mass. The sugar solution will enter the gummy bear as there are more sugar molecules in the gummy bear than in the water. 
Despite the fact that I think that they are isotonic compared to sugar water. I still think there would be changes in the gummy bear.

Results:

After one day of gummy bears being soaked in the solution, I have seen that my hypothesis matches the outcome of our experiment. 

Normal Water - The gummy bear in just water increases in size and mass the most. The colour of the gummy also wears off, it almost becomes transparent. It is also very easy to break once you applied pressure on it. This is because the gummy bear is hypertonic to water. 

Salt solution - Meanwhile, the gummy in salt solution decrease in size and mass. It also becomes firm and hard, even when pressure is applied. There were also little bubbles around the gummy bears when it was soaked in the solution. This is because the gummy bear is hypotonic to water. As the water solution is more concentrated than the gummy.

Sugar Solution - The gummy bear in the sugar solution has also increased in size and mass but is not as big as the gummy bear in the regular water. The gummy bear is less fragile compared to the gummy in water, but it is also almost transparent despite still having colour. The reason why it slightly increases in size and mass is there is still more sugar molecule in the gummy bear compared to the sugar solution.

Result 

SEXXY Paragraph Writing Practice

Statement: Dennis Villeneuve uses low key lighting together with the colour green, blue and black in the scene where K comes home to his apartment to portray some ideas about the film. 

Evidence: For example, when K was walking towards the building apartment, we see low key lighting and the light is coming from the billboard advertising that is on both sides of his apartment building. During the scene of K coming home and essentially throughout the scene, the lights are quite dim and dull. The colour that is coming from the lights are harsh white with blue and green and there is also a wide area in the building apartment where the colour is black. 

Explanation of the director’s purpose: Dennis Villeneuve effectively chooses this specific lighting to portray a negative mood and how dangerous society has become due to the obsession with technology. Also, it gives us an idea about how K and other blade runners are viewed in their society. As they are viewed as no more than bio-engineer humans and looked down upon and treated like they do not deserve rights or protection. These aspects also reflects what K is feeling inside and his lack of experience. 

Explanation of effect on the audience: With the use of these two aspects, audiences were able to feel the darker feelings and emotions of K through the lowkey lighting and colour. Especially, by combining these aspects together, we were able to understand the danger, cold and harshness of the environment they live in. This is important because of these aspects we are the one who feels the discrimination K is receiving despite K being a replicant who does not have any ‘emotions'. As he is just a slave that has no consciousness and cannot think for himself, love someone, experience things as even his memory is just a memory that is implanted in him. 

Link: However, as the movie continuous, we were able to notice that despite K being a replicant, he is aware that he retires and hunt down rogue replicant, we saw in K’s eye that he somehow slightly felt guilty of retiring those replicants but he has no choice as he is a slave. Combining the low key lighting with the colours blue and green is very important because it gives us a depressed mood about K and society.