HW6

1.) (Work in Progress)

I've decided my topic will be focusing on the responsibility of using tools like the internet with one specific example in mind: Religion. The internet is an international highway for information, something that is relatively new to humanity. For the first time in our history, I can easily open a website and start chatting with someone across the world. This gives me the opportunity to learn what life is like for them, share what my life here is like, or even share information. It's also a way for one to speak more of religion, be it to share ideas, learn more about different paths, or find a new path to explore yourself. This, of course, comes with several upsides and downsides, which I will discuss further.

The internet is a wonderful tool for research, and this is especially true when it comes to religion. With so many spiritual paths and world religions out there, it can be hard to otherwise study so many in a short amount of time. Thanks to websites such as Wikipedia, blogs and even more 'traditional' paper and pictures websites, it's easier than ever to learn about other views of the world.

These blogs also give us a very rare opportunity when it comes to religious study: a clear, intrinsic view. When studying religion, you have to look at two different aspects: the extrinsic view, or the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, and the intrinsic view, or the viewpoint of a practitioner of the faith. It's often hard to look at things from both viewpoints, but with just a couple different websites, we can clearly get both views on nearly any religion or belief system. While some of these blogs may not be very scholarly or well kept, there are so many of them out there that it's easy to find several different cases to look at.

There are many, many groups that have gained a larger foothold into the world thanks to the ease of communicating online. Thanks to internet forums, and websites like facebook, myspace, or their thousands of clones, it's easier then ever to find other like-minded individuals who believe the same things as you or I. Religions like Scientology wouldn't have grown so large without tools such as Television or internet websites to reach out to potential new followers. The same can be said about several smaller movements, such as the recent surge of Neo-pagan paths that are becoming more and more popular.

This also helps groups be discrete and avoid the public eye, where they may be looked down upon in unwarranted ways. For example, I've linked to a story before where a woman almost lost custody of her children after a divorce because of her faith. While the law says religion can't be used against her in court, it was believed her religion was 'dangerous to her children's welfare', so it was used against her. She was pagan, and in reality, there was no danger to her children, but the public perception was that there was. This is why such discrepancy can be to an advantage with small, still growing groups.

The internet also gives us the ability to quickly smash these misconceptions by making information so easy to obtain. With a quick Google search, one can learn the very basics of any system of thought, including their ethics, morals and ideas about theology. One can easily learn about all branches of a religion, and find the differences between them. Before the net, one would have to search for books or other sources for research, which could take days, weeks, or even years. Now, it only takes pulling up a Wikipedia page in order to learn more about whatever topic you're curious about.

Of course, there are also disadvantages. Sometimes very hateful messages can be spread just as quickly as the positive ones. I have seen more hate-filled Christian websites then I have seen sites that express the true nature of the religion. The same can be said for virtually any religious group.

Misinformation is also a large problem. When researching the topic, it's hard to figure out what information is good and reliable versus that information which is entirely false or harmful. This was originally seen as widely spread pamphlets and booklets in days before the internet, but now anyone can create a website and publish whatever they want. It's cheaper to get your website on Google then it is to publish lots of small papers and hand them out to people who won't read them.

2.) Should software be used for personal business gains, or are there more beneficial means for it? Namely, medical software such as databases, communication tools, etc. Should these tools be sold by private businesses to make money, or given to those who need it?