Course Documents and Questionnaire |
Syllabus Contract |
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Quick Reference Schedule |
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Attendance Comments |
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Essays and Technical Exercises |
Responsibilities for Group Project |
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Brainstorming |
Initial Ideas for Projects |
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Useful Links and Other Resources |
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Current Discourse |
A few media programs that refer to relevant course topics |
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National Academy of Engineering Video Contest |
Watch several 1-2 minute videos about "Mega-Engineering". You can vote for your favorite by 12:00PM on Thursday September 1, or watch them at your leisure to inspire more ideas for your essays or project. Perhaps you will be able to critique the videos through the lens of appropriate technology. |
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Course Introduction |
Allen vs Diamandis Perspectives |
Exploratory Exercise: Allen vs. Diamandis perspectives on technology |
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Syllabus Contract and Essay Guidelines |
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Introduction to Appropriate Technology |
Sponsoring Research in Appropriate Technology |
URL/Ref: Papadopoulos, Frey, Castro, et al., “Sponsoring Research in Appropriate Technology”, ASEE 2014. Read pages 4-8 (Sections 2 and 3).
Study Questions and Comments:
- E.F. Schumacher was a "radical economist" who wrote what famous book?
- What practice did Schumacher criticize as a solution to solve the problems of the developing world (i.e., poor countires)? Does this practice contiue today?
- According the Schumacher what are two twin criticisms of modern mass production?
- How did Schumacher propose to address these problems? Who inspired him?
- What was the original name of the organization Practical Action (notice that Practical Action is the author of the next reading)?
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What is Appropriate Technology |
URL/Ref: Practical Action, "What is Appropriate Technology?" (ITDG 1993). Read entire article (pp. 1-6).
Study Questions:
- What two regions of the world are identified as having unequal power relations with each other? Were these regions identified by Schumacher (see previous reading)? In which of these regions do you live?
- Think about what is meant by 'appropriate' and 'inappropriate' technology.
- React to the following statement: "need determines technology; technology does not determine need". Do you agree or disagree that this should be the case? Do you agree or disagree that this is historically true?
- In the article, the use of High-Yielding Varieties (HYV) rice was explained to be problematic in the Asian Green Revolution. Can you think of other examples of technologies that might have have negative, unintended consequences?
- Give a reason, based on the article, to suggest why some peoples are denied choice in determining technology that is appropriate for their needs.
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Introductory Concepts of Energy and Power |
Human Domination of the Biosphere: Rapid Discharge of the Earth-Space Battery Foretells the Future of Humankind |
URL/Ref: Schramski, Gattie, and Brown. "Human Domination of the Biosphere: Rapid Discharge of the Earth-Space Battery Foretells the Future of Humankind", PNAS 112(31), August 4, 2015, pp. 9511-9517 (read entire article).
Study Questions
- What is the PNAS (in the bibliographic citation)?
- How is energy defined in the paper?
- What is meant by "low quality" and "high quality" energy?
- What is the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration?
- What was a key turning point in human civilization with respect to expanding human energy consumption beyond the hunter-gatherers?
- What is meant by "recoverable" and "non-recoverable" energy?
- What is "net primary production" and how large is it?
- What are the two main types of organic chemical compounds that supply energy for human civilization?
- Verify the following calculations:
- p. 9514, column 1: 74.6x109J/person/yr is equivalent to 2,370 W (1W = 1J/s)
- p. 9514, column 1: total annual energy consumption (per person) is 0.53 ZJ (1ZJ = 1021J = 1015MJ)
- p. 9514, column 1: 2000 Cal = 8.4 MJ (consult http://www.onlineconversion.com/energy.htm)
- p. 9514, column 1: the metabolic rate is 100 W (8.4 MJ/day)
- p. 9514, column 2: the average human power demand is 24 times that of the ancient hunter-gatherer (divide one of the above numbers by another - do you see which ones?)
- Do the authors make any predictions about the future of human civilization and the earth?
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The Toaster Challenge: Robert Förstemann |
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The Toaster Challenge: Ida Ingemarsdotter |
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Energy Unit Conversion Calculator |
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Introduction to Energy and Power |
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Slow Electricity: The Return of DC Power? |
URL/Ref: DeDecker. "Slow Electricity: The Return of DC Power?", Low Tech Magazine, April 27, 2016. Read entire article
Study Questions
- What are the main factors that make DC systems attractive again?
- What is the relationship between power loss due to cable resistance and current?
- List at least 4 Native DC Power sources or devices (that naturally produce DC power or DC loads)
- Besides a hybrid DC-AC system for high power appliances, what is the other alternative presented?
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Optional: How to Calculate Power from Wind Turbine |
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Optional Reading: Energy and Equity |
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Resources RE Calculating Energy Use |
Please check out this article from Low-tech Magazine. It may form the basis of a future assignment. Other sources will be added later. |
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The Oil in your Oatmeal |
How much energy goes into producing and delivering your food, compared with the energy that you actually derive from the food? I.e., how efficient is our food system? Also, check out the comment about 'truth in packaging'. |
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Appropriate Technology and Humanitarian Engineering as General Theoretical Frameworks |
An Integrated Framework |
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Study Guide and Video for An Integrated Framework |
Please read the study guide as you read the article and watch this video that will serve as an initial example for discussion of the framework. |
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In-class Exercise |
Divide into groups and discuss a key summary and key example for each sub-section of the reading. |
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Visit of Kelvin Willoughby to UPRM 2012 |
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Humanitarian Engineering |
URL/Ref: Chapter 3 from Mitcham and Muñoz, Humanitarian Engineering, Morgan & Claypool, 2010 (link requires access to Biblioteca General).
Study Questions:
- How do Mitcham and Muñoz distinguish science from engineering? Does this relate to any themes from the previous tow readings?
- What are the origins of the profession of engineering?
- How do Mitcham and Muñoz segue into the topic of engineering ethics?
- How do Mitcham and Muñoz define humanitarian engineering? How does this relate to our discussion of "Appropriate Technology"?
- What was one of the major insights of Fred Cuny?
- What do Harry Truman's comments about the sharing "technical knowledge" with other "peace-loving peoples" reveal about his attitudes about technology (think about what you read in the previous two readings)? Do these attitudes views generalize to attitudes embedded in US foreign policy?
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Supplemental Reading: Humanitarian Engineering |
Entire book: Mitcham and Muñoz, Humanitarian Engineering, Morgan & Claypool, 2010 (requires access to Biblioteca General). |
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Supplemental Reading: From Philosophy to Technology |
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Required Case Study Exploration |
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Strength and Weaknesses of AT Frameworks |
A Review of Plausible Criticisms |
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Notes from Willoughby Chapter 11 |
PPT Presentation corresponding to "A Review of Possible Criticisms", Chapter 11 from Willoughby. |
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Critique of the Current Global Development Narrative |
The Role of Economics and Buddhist Economics |
Ref/URL: Chapters 3 and 4 from E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Harper & Row, 1973.
Unauthorized(?) electronic versions here and here. |
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Editorial (optional): Small is beautiful – an economic idea that has sadly been forgotten |
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Notes on Schumacher Chs. 3 and 4 |
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What Others are Saying about Autonomous Technology |
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Conventional Wisdom – The Current Development Narrative and Why It Doesn’t Work |
URL/Ref: Section 1 (Chapters 2-4) from Practical Action, Wellbeing, Technology Justice, and Sustainable Development, 2012 (Unpublished/communicated to Marcel Castro, November 2012).
Related (optional): http://practicalaction.org/technology-justice, http://policy.practicalaction.org/policy-themes/technology-justice
Study Questions:
- What is the relationship between economic growth and happiness?
- What are some of the quality of life indicators presented?
- What measure appears to be well-correlated with quality of life problems?
- Which is the more critical limit on growth, exhaustion of resources or environmental/ecological damage?
- What is problematic about the way scientific research is often funded?
- What did Schumacher say that exemplifies the concept of non-neutrality of technology?
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Technology and Social Justice |
What is Design for Social Justice |
URL/Ref: J. Leydens, J. Lucena, and D. Nieusma, What is Design for Social Justice, 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Expositiion, Indianapolis, IN.
Study Questions
- What is your conception of justice? Social justice?
- What is the authors' basic definition of social justice, as applied to engineering?
- What are the four basic design strategies that the authors identify? Can you give a 2-3 sentence summary of each one?
- Reflect on your own courses so far at UPRM. Even if you are not in engineering, which strategy do you think is the most dominant?
- What is perhaps the most dangerous word in a typical engineering or science textbook assignment or problem?
- What are the seven social-justice criteria that the authors identify? Can you give a 2-3 sentence summary of each one?
- Reflect on your own courses so far at UPRM. Can you think of any examples in which a topic or assignment could be integrated with social justice criteria (even if that was not required or examined in your actual class)?
- What do the authors propose are the basic arguments for and against integrating social justice criteria into traditional engineering courses? What might be other arguments?
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Optional References |
These are some very important references that relate to engineering, technology, and justice. |
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Videos/Resources Related to Mining Industry |
Study Questions
- Identify the various attitudes and values held by the native people; the mining companies; the government; foreign governments; international development agencies.
- How might "contextual listening" be applied to a mining engineering project?
- What further questions do you have that would help you to better understand the story and context of Berta Cáceres and many activists like her?
For further thought:
- Where do the raw materials originate - and how are they extracted - for the myriad of products that we use?
- Has history repeated itself with the rise of industries of different epochs, such as cotton, steel, and gold?
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Other Cases (optional) |
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Video (optional): A CEO's Perspective |
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Some General Questions |
- Read various narratives of a given issue and compare them. Do "mainstream" documentaries about "things" or "technology" raise issues of justice?
- Pick your favorite large development project or man-made "wonder". Investigate its history through the lens of justice. Who benefited? Who was exploited? What was its footprint? Etc.
- Reflect on your current courses or projects. How might you bring some of the principles and criteria of justice to your work - even if it is not part of the "official" assignment?
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Philosophical Theoretical Framework to Analyze the Technological Culture of our Times (I) |
Albert Borgmann: Technology and the Character of Everyday Life |
URL/Ref: Pieter Tijmes, “Albert Borgmann: Technology and the Character of Everyday Life”, in Hans Achterhuis, editor, American Philosophy of Technology: The Empirical Turn. Trans. Robert P. Crease. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2001, pages 11-36. |
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Las láminas de Huyke en torno a Borgmann |
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Bringing Wellbeing into Development Practice |
Responsible Wellbeing and Energy Threshold |
URL/Ref: Castro-Sitiriche, Marcel J. and Luis Jiménez-Rodríguez. "Responsible Wellbeing and Energy Threshold". ETHOS Gubernamental: Revista del Centro para el Desarrollo del Pensamiento Ético, Oficina de Ética Gubernamental, No. VII, San Juan, Puerto Rico, pp. 64-126, June 2014.
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Optional: Denmark is Happiest Country |
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Wind Turbines in Peru |
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La sustitución de las cercanías |
La sustitución de las cercanías por la lejanía |
URL/Ref: Héctor Huyke-Souffront. “La sustitución de las cercanías por la lejanía”, en Tras otro progreso: Filosofía de la tecnología desde la periferia. Cabo Rojo, Editorial Educación Emergente, 2013, capítulo 6, pp. 107-124.
Atención a los siguientes puntos:
- Un fragmento de vida cotidiana (Subtítulo 6.2)
- Acoplamientos fortalecedores
- Acoplamientos debilitadores
- Tecnologías arraigantes
- Principio de las cercanías
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Press and Reaction to Tras otro progreso |
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Las láminas de Huyke en torno a la sustitución de las cercanías |
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Thermodynamics |
Engineering Thermodynamics and 21st Century Energy Problems: A Textbook Companion for Student Engagement |
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Additional Readings/Videos |
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Thermodynamics Presentation |
Brief introduction to some basic concepts of thermodynamics. |
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Structures and Materials |
Introductory Resources on Structures and Materials |
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Introduction to Structural Behavior |
This is the presentation outlines broad principles of structural behavior via a review of common structural forms. |
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Introductory Resources on Permaculture and Bioconstruction |
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Permaculture and Bioconstruction (Optional) |
This folder contains all of the documents and presentations contributed by Owen Ingley from Plenitud Iniciativas. |
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Earthbag Building in the Humid Tropics (Optional) |
This article introduces basic concepts and practices of earthbag construction. PLEASE READ PRIOR TO LECTURE. |
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Ethical Theory: Questions and Issues on Climate Change |
Las láminas de Huyke en torno a Jamieson |
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Course Closing Activities |
Las láminas de Huyke en torno al segundo ensayo |
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