GEOG 1913 is also offered in Fall 2021
GEOG 1913 is also offered in Fall 2020
GEOG 1913 is also offered in Fall 2019
Fall 2022 | GEOG 1913 Section 001: Living with Innovation (33224)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Discussion
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Class Attributes:
Freshman Seminar
- Enrollment Requirements:
- Freshman and FRFY
- Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
Mon,
Wed 09:45AM - 11:00AM
UMTC, East Bank
Hubert H Humphrey Center 35
- Enrollment Status:
Open (1 of 20 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- Technology has significantly improved lives across the globe: we have seen the cost of goods fall due to mass production; people have become more connected through revolutionary developments in transport and electronic communication; health has improved through better sanitation, pharmaceuticals, and surgical techniques. Yet there are still challenges for the future in terms of feeding a growing world population and coming to terms with climate changes. The solutions will be through new developments, innovations, in bio-, nano-, info-, and energy-technologies. These are already bringing benefits but also possible risks. For example, the benefits of genetic engineering for improved food security are obvious and yet there is a fear that it will lead to "frankenfoods". Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to take over boring and repetitive jobs in the work place but in so doing could put millions out of work, and some even fear robots threatening human existence. This seminar will examine the idea that living with innovation depends on developing policies that properly manage risks in an informed way, by trying to anticipate and assess them rather than just to avoid them. Risk assessment is a scientific approach that combines an understanding of threat, exposure and vulnerability - recognizing uncertainties in all the elements - to estimate the likelihood of impacts. Risk management policy often has to balance the risks from emerging technologies with their benefits. Historically the risks that have arisen from innovation have been small compared with benefits so decisions have been relatively easy. However, some of the risks from the new generation of emerging technologies have potentially big consequence, e.g. in the development of bioweapons, misuse of geo-engineering to unilaterally alter climate, cyberwar, and killer robots. These present special challenges for policy to ensure that we enjoy the benefits of the technology while keeping cat
- Class Description:
- Student may contact the instructor or department for information.
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/33224/1229
ClassInfo Links - Fall 2022 Geography Classes Taught by Peter Calow