issue40 【红尘笑看沧桑】互改小组第四次作业 by moon

bigeyes_1314UID: 2736288

12月16号
题目：ISSUE40 - "Scholars and researchers should not be concerned with whether their work makes a contribution to the larger society. It is more important that they pursue their individual interests, however unusual or idiosyncratic those interests may seem."
字数：510
用时：00:42:52
日期：2009/12/16 21:09:00


The writer asserts that it is more important for the scholars and researcher to pursue their own individual interests instead of the interests of the larger society. In my view, I have a different opinion with the writer and I think it is essential for the scholars and researchers to make a contribution to the larger society as well as pursue the individual interests.

First scholars and researchers live in the society, as a member of the society, they are supposed to serve for the society and make a contribution to it. Only when scholars and researchers consider the value of their research to the society and contribute their research to the society, their research can obtain wide public concern and support from people and can show its value. If scholars only concern his or her own interests and don't meet the need of the larger society, his or her research maybe bound to be a failure.

Let us take a look at some examples of how these scholars and researchers succeed in the larger society.
Recently the researchers in Microsoft developed Windows 7 for the need of the customers and the society. It is a more artificial technology system and more convenient. Windows 7 obtained great concern and made great profits for Microsoft. The researcher just concern much about the needs of the larger society and think it is more
convenient so that this system get a favorable position in the society.

Another example is from the scholars. Nowadays there are a tendency that a growing number of scholars who published more and more books on different tests to meet the need of the graduates of middle schools, colleges to help them get good grades in these different kinds of exams. A large number of parents and schools usually pay much attention to their kids' scores in the tests so that is the reason why researchers did this.
If researchers only care about their own research field which will only contribute to those who have the same major or interests, instead of the larger society, perhaps only a small number of people will pay to buy their paper or publisher.

Admittedly, interests are the best teachers. Scholars and researchers also need to concern their own interests so that it can inspire their imagination and creation. If Bill Gates are not interested in software and computer technology, it is possibly impossible for him to build such a successful company in the world. If Columbu is not concerned about the geography and the explore, maybe we will not find North America.

So from what has been discussed above, we may safely arrive in the conclusion that it is important for the scholars and researchers to pursue not only their own interests but also for the interests of the larger society. Only researchers and scholars have the interests in their research, they can make the contribute to the larger society, so we need to provide a favorable researching environment for researchers and scholars in order to have more inventions which will benefit our society!
   


题目：ARGUMENT36 - The following appeared in an article written by Dr. Karp, an anthropologist.

"Twenty years ago Dr. Field, a noted anthropologist, visited the island of Tertia and concluded from his observations that children in Tertia were reared by an entire village rather than by their own biological parents. However, my recent interviews with children living in the group of islands that includes Tertia show that these children spend much more time talking about their biological parents than about other adults in the village. This research proves that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is false, and thus that the observation-centered approach to studying cultures is invalid. Because they are using the interview-centered method, my team of graduate students working in Tertia will establish a much more accurate understanding of child-rearing traditions there and in other island cultures."
字数：287
用时：00:27:07
日期：2009/12/16 21:09:00


In this argument, the author concludes that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is false and he asserts that observation-centered approach to studying cultures in invalid. The argument is logically unconvincing in several aspects.

First the argument is based on the problematic assumption that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village is false. Dr. Field's conclusion was in twenty years ago. During these twenty years, there may be lots of differences in Tertian village. Perhaps twenty years ago the residential design was different from what it is today. At that time it was more convenient for the villagers to communicate with each other and so that children were reared by an entire village. Or maybe twenty years ago because of the lack of the public entertainments, children has no much to play so they spent much time talking with the villagers to spare their time. Therefore children were more reared by entire village. So there are lots of other options the arguer needs to consider.

Next another conclusion the author drew is that observation-centered approach to studying cultures is invalid. The arguer failed to provide substantial evidence to support the conclusion. In my point of view, observation-centered approach is more reliable than the author's interview-centered approach while both of these two approaches have their own flaws. on one hand, observation-centered approach can have more experience than the interview-centered approach while the interview-centered approach is more vivid and it is a more direct way to acquire some knowledge.

So if the arguer wants to draw a safe conclusion, he should consider more changes in the village during these twenty years. Meanwhile, the arguer should make use of different kind of surveying approaches to get the more persuasive conclusion.