Week 2

Overview

Learning Objectives

By the end of the week you will be able to compare and contrast the outcomes of specific decisions made earlier in life (what if scenarios).

Instructional Materials

The following materials will supplement this week's assignment:

Watch: Arrival (2016) for free on PlutoTV
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century
Online Ethics Center: Conflict and Sustainability
Online Ethics Center: Climate Change
Online Ethics Center: Human Rights
Online Ethics Center: Social and Political Conflict
Online Ethics Center: Social Responsibility
Online Ethics Center: Controversies

Activity

In both the movie and the story, the protagonist Louise gains the ability to see the future after learning the alien's language. Eventually, Louise's husband finds out that her powers afforded her the knowledge that their future daughter would eventually end up terminally ill, but she chose not to tell him. This ultimately leads to their divorce. Looking symbolically at this individual conflict created by Louise's newfound power, how could this apply on a global scale? What large-scale conflicts could arise from humanity having the power to see simultaneously into the past, present and future? What current real-world conflicts could be fixed?

Respond in at least 500 words.