Category: yurim

In the last class, we discussed the article about Entertainment.
The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.

1) The Summary

Ed Sheeran, the British singer, announced his departure from all social media until the next autumn. He plans to travel the world during the break in order to see the real world not through a screen but with his own eyes, he said.
He will also have surgery in January because he injured his ear drum, which he injured by knocking his ear when he jumped off a yacht during this summer vacation.

2) My Opinion

I love Taylor Swift, the American popular female singer, and so I would be very shocked if she decided to stop her musical activities. Actually, I suppose that a lot of fans of Ed Sheeran are probably very discouraged by his announcement that he quit all social media for a while. However, I knew his plan to travel the world in order to see the real world, and I thought it is fantastic. Now that information and communications technology has rapidly developed, we can communicate with our friends living very far away and we can travel almost everywhere on the earth through a screen. At the same time, however, such technological development have made many of us forget the importance of seeing the world with our eyes directly and the emotions that we can get only by it. For example, I went a fireworks display during this summer vacation and watched many beautiful fireworks. I was deeply moved by it. However, many people around us were absorbed in taking pictures and I doubted if they really enjoyed it. Therefore, I was very impressed with Ed Sheeran’s plan to quit all social media and see the real world with his own eyes. I want to have many experiences and see many things with my own eyes so that I do not miss the precious things in front of my eyes.

In the last class, we discussed the article about NASA’s interesting announcement about Mars.

The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.

 

1) The Summary

NASA researchers announced that its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft mission has discovered how Mars has become a barren planet over billions of years.

Mars had once been covered by rich atmosphere and it was much warmer and wetter. However, it has been transformed into the cold and dry planet we see today. According to scientists, it is because solar winds have stripped ions from the Martian atmosphere, especially during coronal mass ejections, and so Mars has gradually been losing much of its atmosphere. This announcement figured it out.

The latest research also revealed the finding that auroras which are very similar to those in the Earth can be observed in Mars, and the relationship between magnetic fields and the loss of Martian atmosphere. In addition, it announced that the dust, which was found in Martian atmosphere the other day, is likely to be coming from another planet.

 

2) My Opinion

I have a lot of interest in such study as astronomy or Space Science and NASA’s new findings about Mars stated in this article are very interesting. Although only about 50 years have passed since Apollo 11 succeeded in landing on the moon for the first time, scientists have been unveiling much of the mystery of the universe. However, such continuous and large-scale research and technological development take a significant cost. There are some who doubts the necessity of such study in a society. Then, what is the significance of learning such matter? Why have we been making great effort in order to figure out the mystery of astronomical matters? I think following two points can be given as answers.

First, astronomical research can be useful for posterity. To be sure, we can enjoy few benefits from such study now. In the future, however, it will be necessary; because the earth where we live is not eternal, and there might be nothing that can be done without any accumulated astronomical knowledge when we can no longer live in the earth one day in the future. This is why we should try to understand as many things about the universe as possible for the future.

Second, astronomy is very important and magnificent study related to the fundamentals of our existence. Almost all people are always busy solving problems at hand in a daily life. However, at the same time there is always following problems in the innermost part of our heart: “who are we?”, “Where are we from?” or “Where are we headed?”. Such problems are essential and we cannot help thinking about them as long as we are alive. Therefore, astronomy is necessary because it is the study which can enable us to approach such fundamental matters.

In conclusion, I think learning studies about astronomical matters is significant because it is necessary for the future and us who live now.

In the last class, we discuss the article about a referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU or not.

The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.

 

1) Summary

In the United Kingdom, a referendum on whether it should remain a member of the EU or not is planned to take place before the end of 2017, following the election manifesto of the Conservative Party which won the election.

Opinion is divided on that issue in the UK. Some people are for leaving the EU; for example, the Independence Party and the majority of the Conservative Party. They claims that the UK should leave so that it could act more freely and independently without being tied with too many rules or policies of the EU.

By the other hand, others are in favor of staying in the EU; for example, David Cameron, the Labor Party and SNP. They think that the UK should remain because it has enjoyed and will enjoy much benefit as a member of the EU.

According to the latest opinion poll, opinions for and against are evenly divided. Britain people should make a decision after considering carefully and deeply uwhich is the better for themselves and the world.

 
2) My Opinion

Whether the United Kingdom leave the EU or not is a worldwide concern. If the UK left the EU, it would be a big historical turning point of Europe. If I were an Englishwoman, I would not agree with it for the following two reason.

The first reason is the economic one. To be sure, the benefits that the UK would get by leaving the EU is not small for that country. The UK could save much money which it spends supporting poor parts of Europe or contributing to the EU. Furthermore, it could avoid being directly damaged by financial problems occurring in Europe such as the Greek financial crisis. However, it also has many disadvantages. Now, about half of the UK’s exports go to European countries but leaving the EU might endanger it. In addition, the UK would pay tax when it export to the EU member countries. The UK’s GDP would undoubtedly decrease. Therefore, leaving the EU is not necessarily good for the UK’s economy from a long-term perspective.

The second reason is the political one. A referendum on Scottish independence took place in Scotland on 18 September, 2014. Consequently, the majority voted against independence and Scotland did not become independent. However, if it were decided that the UK is going to leave the EU, a trend toward Scottish independence would grow again because the majority want to remain the member of the EU in Scotland; and it might lead the dissolution of the UK. This is why leaving the EU is risky.

In conclusion, I think the UK should not choose to leave the EU because it has a serious economic and political influence on the UK.

 

“Biofabrication” is the newly coined word which means the scientific process of artificially producing biological products from raw materials. Today, many scientists are developing it. Actually, in the other day, Mark Post, the professor of Maastricht University, presented a burger made from the cultured beef. However, there is controversy as to whether we should develop such technology or not; some people have strong antipathy to it, especially the cultured meat. I think developing the biofabrication technology is necessary in the modern world for the following two reasons.

First, there are a lot of problems with the current livestock industry. Nowadays, industrial livestock production, or factory farming, is the dominant production method of livestock product. It is designed for operators to produce more meat, eggs or milk at the lowest possible cost. Livestock farmers keep animals in small barns and feed them high-protein and high-calorie food. The animals are not considered as sentient beings but only as profit-making livestock. This is inhumane and cannot be ethically allowed. In addition, many operators of such farms often raise animals on unhygienic conditions in order to cut costs, and it has caused the diffusion of many disease in the world, such as bird flu, BSE and so on. Therefore, we should not continue the current livestock industry depending on such cruel and dangerous factory farming, and some alternative production methods are necessary.

Second, only the current meat production processes cannot meet the growing global demand. There are more than 7 billion people in the world. This number is increasing and estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050. With this change, the consumption of meat is also rapidly increasing. The above-mentioned factory farming has enabled mass-production of food than previously possible. However, it is unsustainable. It is because it impose too heavy a burden on the environment; the significant amount of waste produced by livestock animals has polluted the air, water and soil surrounding factory farms, and methane gas produced by cattle is a cause of global warming. Therefore, we should find another and sustainable food production method.

In conclusion, the current livestock industry is not ethically allowed and cannot be continued, and so, we should develop biofabrication technology because it enables us to generate animal products in a humane and sustainable way.

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In the last class, we discuss the article about IS militants infiltrating migrant boats.

The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.

 

1) The summary

In the Mediterranean, smugglers are reportedly helping Islamic State militants get into Europe by hiding them on boats filled with migrants from North Africa.

Italy and Egypt have expressed concern about it and emphasized the necessity for international community to take some measures.

However, experts have cautioned that both countries want international intervention in Libya for their own interests. Besides, they have also said it is difficult to verify the risk of militants infiltrating migrant boats without evidence.

 

2) My opinion

The Islamic State issue is one of the big concerns to people all over the world. It has expanded its power rapidly and many people have embroiled. This article is also about the Islamic State. I think we cannot solve the problem taken up in the article unless we make an effort to weeken the power of the Islamic State itself.

According to the article, many Islamic State militants are reportedly getting into Europe by infiltrating migrant boats. If that is the truth, we should deal with the problem urgently as Egypt and Italy claim; because many people might be exposed to the danger of being damaged by terrorist attacks. However, it is almost impossible that international organizations take action unless there is clear evidence; besides, it is very difficult to solve the problem locally without such organizations. Therefore, there is no way but to weeken and finally wipe out the Islamic State itself; it can become the solution to the root of the problem.

Then, how can we weeken the Islamic State? I think it is one of the solutions that every country strive to organize a strong national polity.

The Islamic State is not a country: it does not have a clear territory, government, infrastructure and so on. However, it has a great influence in the world. It is because many countries around it have fragile governance structure or have serious domestic affairs, and they are not able to suppress the Islamic State. Therefore, if the developed countries help such countries organize so strong a national polity to prevent the Islamic State from expanding its power, it could lead to the solution of the problem.

In conclusion, in order to solve the local problems related to the Islamic State, we should try to wipe out the Islamic State by organizing a strong state system or helping it and solve the root of the problems.

In the last class, we discuss the article about a serious religious conflict in Burma.

The summary and my opinion are as follows.

 

1) The summary of the article

In Burma, three Muslims were imprisoned for offering violence to Buddhists and causing deadly religious clashes.

The perpetrators, who were working at a gold shop in Meiktila, had a fight with Buddhist customers and assaulted them. The incident has led to the serious conflict between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Burma. Finally, curfews were imposed in some towns including Meiktila and many people suffered damage; some people died in the confusion.

Following this conflict, which is one of the worst ones in Burma, the president showed a strong attitude toward people fomenting a religious conflict.

 

2) Opinion

Reading this article brought home to me again that religious problems are very sensitive and difficult to solve for the following reason.

Religion is deeply connected to believers’ daily lives and could affect even their way of thinking or living. At the same time, there are various religions in the world; every one has a different custom, values, understanding on death or god and so on. However, understanding each other is difficult; because accepting other’s religious faith might mean denying their own faith, that is, lives that they have gone through in some cases. Once a conflict between some religious groups become serious, it is difficult to control it and a local incident can cause a great disaster like the case in Burma.

In this way, religious problems are difficult to handle. However, it does not necessarily follow that we can do nothing for that: we cannot eliminate a religious conflict itself but can prevent a military clash from breaking out.

In many cases, there are political matters like territorial dispute behind a religious clash. For example, the Iraq War broke out in the result of fighting for oil. In other words, a religious conflict is apt to be made use of by the authority. Therefore, we can prevent the occurrence of such a military clash by solving not a religious conflict itself but political issues behind it.

In conclusion, I think every person should be interested in and observe carefully what is happening in the world in order to identify political matters which would lead a military clash between religious groups.