Choose any one story, create an argument about how the story explores a modern concern or development related to contemporary science and technology -- through the literary genre of the short story. 1

https://dailysciencefiction.com/science -fiction/clones/christine -amsden/please -stop - murdering -grandma . Commented [TP1]: Be careful to get titles right Commented [TP2]: This is a claim about the interpretation of the story so it doesn ’t make sense to cite the story here. And this citation is not correctly formatted. R eview Chicago style Commented [TP3]: Still too broad: better is to make a strong claim about what the story is doing. Commented [TP4]: This is where you would want a citation. When you ’re citing details from the story. 2 cloning ethics and how it affects human identity and autonomy 2(4) . Cloning is utilized as a metaphor in the story for scientific discoveries that put traditional views about family relationships and reproduction to the test . Because of Amsden's studies on the subject , readers are invited to consider the moral implications of cloning and the potential consequences of messing with the body's regular reproductive process . Amsden's narrative employs the concept of cloning as a thought -provoking metaphor to explore the ethic al boundaries of reproduction. The narrative draws a connection between Susie's grammatical errors and the presence of Grandma's clones, thereby prompting readers to contemplate the ethical implications of cloning and its potential impact on individual age ncy and selfhood. The narrative prompts us to contemplate the potential consequences of interfering with innate reproductive mechanisms, raising apprehensions regarding the sacredness of existence and the boundaries of scientific interference 3 (98). 2 Chan, David K. "The concept of human dignity in the ethics of genetic research." Bioethics 29, no. 4 (2015): 274 -282. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bioe.1210 2 3 Benagiano, Giuseppe, and Paola B ianchi. "Human reproductive cloning." In Hot Topics in Human Reproduction: Ethics, Law and Society. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2023. https://link.springer.com/chapt er/10.1007/978 -3-031 -24903 -7_8 Commented [TP5]: Not clear why y ou would be citing a philosophic al source here since this is another claim about the story. Further, a footnote needs to cite the specific page that you ’re citing, not the full article. How is the reader to know where to find the material you are citing? Still further, this link is not to a n accessible full art icle – sources have to be fully accessible. If it ’s avai lable through JSTOR or another database that our library accesses, you could cit e it that way. Commented [TP6]: Vague. Commented [TP7]: Not clear what this mean . Commented [TP8]: Again, too va gue. It ’s not enough to just suggest ideas that the story might imply – you need to dig into the details of the text and pro vide r eal analysis. Commented [TP9]: Again, you can’t just keep saying explo re and contemplate etc. You have to make some real assertions about what the story does and how it does it. And you have to quote and cite sp ecific details. Commented [TP10]: You have to make it clear how you are using sources. You can ’t just include a citation without any expla nation of what you’re drawing and why its relevant. Further , the article is not fully av ailable. 3 Another issue explored in "Please Stop Murdering Grandma" is monitoring, which is shown by Grandma's admission that her daughters' skulls had tracking implants . The narrative highlights the conflict between advancing technology and the right to personal pr ivacy 4 (24) . The story's depiction of invasive monitoring acts as a warning, highlighting the possible loss of privacy in a society that is becoming increasingly technologically adept. This storytelling device asks readers to reflect on the limits of ethi cal monitoring and the harmony between personal freedom and security. The tale by Amsden dives deeply into the subject of monitoring, highlighting the possible loss of privacy in a society dominated by technological progress. The discovery of monitoring de vices within the skulls of Grandma's kids serves as a striking reminder of how invasive surveillance is and how it affects people's right to privacy. The novel explores essential issues about the legal restrictions on monitoring and the precarious equilibr ium between personal freedom and security via this narrative aspect. The narrative emphasizes the pervasiveness of monitoring and its ability to violate people's privacy rights by showing how Grandma always knew where her daughters were 5 (37) . The image o f the monitoring gadgets in their heads represents a loss of physical autonomy and individuality . The risks of unrestrained 4 Weber, Rolf H. "Internet of Things –New security and privacy challenges." Computer law & security review 26, no. 1 (2010): 23 -30. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S026736490900193 9 5 West, Sarah Myers. "Data capitalism: Redefining the logics of surveillance and privacy." Business & society 58, no. 1 (2019). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/000765031771818 5 Commented [TP11]: Needs a citation. Commented [TP12]: Once again , it doesn ’t make sense to cite this source here. It feels lik e you ’re just sticking citations in arbitrarily. That ’s not research. You have to actually use the sources. And again, not ci ted correctly and not av ailable generally. Commented [TP13]: Citation? Commented [TP14]: Not a novel. Commented [TP15]: Needs to be place d in the larger context of the s tory. 4 monitoring and the possibility of totalitarian regimes that intrude on people's private lives are highlighted by this narrative choi ce. Readers are challenged to critically assess the moral ramifications of technical breakthroughs that permit ongoing surveillance as a result of Amsden's investigation of surveillance in the narrative. It forces us to think about the compromises between security and individual privacy as well as the possible repercussions of giving up control over our personal data. In an increasingly linked society, the narrative serves as a warning, reminding us of the necessity to set clear boundaries and security meas ures to preserve individual privacy 6(1) . The narrative also encourages consideration of the power relations present in surveillance. The fact that Grandma is aware of the location of her daughters leads to an imbalance of power within the family. The accountability and responsibility of people in monitoring positions are called into question by this dynamic. It challenges readers to think about how surveillance technology could be misused and abused, highlighting the need for solid ethical frameworks a nd protections to avoid the violation of individual rights. The ramifications of technology dependency and the possible loss of real human connection are discussed in the novel obliquely 7(416) . Amsden depicts a culture where 6 Fung, Benjamin CM, Ke Wang, Rui Chen, and Philip S. Yu. "Privacy -preserving data publishing: A survey of recent developments." ACM Computing Surveys (Csur) 42, no.

4 (2010): 1 -53. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10. 1145/1749603.174960 5 7 Knapp, Mark L., Judith A. Hall, and Terrence G. Horgan. Nonverbal communication in human interaction. Cengage Learning, 2013. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&i d=rWoWAAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Kn app,+Mark+L.,+Judith+A.+Hall,+and+Terrence+G.+Horgan.+Nonverbal+communication+in+ human+interaction.+Cengage+Learning,+2013.&ots=4SvASPpYcx&sig= - 5 technology has become necessar y for communication via comedy and sarcasm, as seen by Susie's decision to write a letter rather than send an email. This novel element prompts readers to consider how technology affects interpersonal connections and how it can diminish the value of face -to-face conversations. The ethical ramifications of choosing technology ease for true human connection pose significant challenges. Amsden's narrative delicately discusses the ramifications of technology reliance and the possible loss of genuine human conne ction. The story uses satire and comedy to portray a world in which technology has taken over most forms of communication 8(4, 5). Susie's choice to write a letter rather than send an email is a moving statement on the declining importance of in-person con nections in today's society. The narrative encourages readers to consider how technology has affected interpersonal connections and how it can eventually diminish the value of true human connection. Amsden's depiction of Susie's letter -writing as a wonderf ul surprise underscores the rarity of personal, physical means of communication in a culture that pE22xwpGnlrpIhquOF1LUMpHI8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Knapp%2C%20Mark%20L.% 2C%20J udith%20A.%20Hall%2C%20and%20Terrence%20G.%20Horgan.%20Nonverbal% 20communication%20in%20human%20interaction.%20Cengage%20Learning%2C%202013 .&f=fals e 8 Ling, Richard. New tech, new ties: How mobile communication is reshaping social cohesion. MIT press, 201 0. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=J57uDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT5&dq=Ling ,+Richard.+New+tech,+new+ties:+How+mobile+communication+is+reshaping+social+cohes ion.+MIT+press,+2010.&ots=22NgW1cpwA&sig=1e8xYj1FxC6YUZTOOw0rnc16BSE&redir_ esc=y#v=onepage&q=Ling%2C%20Richard.%20New%20tech%2C%20new%20ties%3A%2 0How%20mobile%20communication%2 0is%20reshaping%20social%20cohesion.%20MIT% 20press%2C%202010.&f=false 6 prioritizes ease and immediate satisfaction. Readers are prompted to think about the moral ramifications of choosing technological convenience over the more m eaningful ties that may be cultivated via face -to-face engagement by this narrative choice. In conclusion, w ith a particular emphasis on the moral ramifications of cloning and monitoring, "Please Stop Murdering Grandma" offers a literary analysis of contem porary issues concerning science and technology. The moral ambiguities surrounding cloning, the erosion of privacy owing to monitoring, and the possible loss of personal connection due to technology dependency are all stimulated by Amsden's narrative. The narrative challenges readers to consider the moral ambiguities brought on by contemporary technological discoveries by using comedy and sarcasm. It underlines how carefully and responsibly science and technology should be incorporated into our daily lives. 7 Second Essay: Science Fiction and Science Fact Recognition Criteria Criterion Met? Notes Within 10% of the assigned length, not including footnotes and front matter, and without excessive quotation. No Too short Formatted according to guidelines (font, inclusion of course info, margins etc). Yes Has an original title. Yes Has an introduction that sets out a relevant thesis —in this case a statement about the story engages, thematically, some issue of modern science . Yes Has a series of body paragraphs that present relevant arguments and relevant evidence. Each body paragraph should include properly cited evidence from the story and, in some cases, from secondary sources. No Little or no quotation from the s tory Story not cited Sources not really used. Citations seem arbitrary and are cited in place s that don ’t make sense. Sources not appropriate because of accessib ility. Has a conclusion. Yes Has a reasonably limited number of typos and errors of grammar and style. Yes Uses correct footnotes for citations without a bibliography according to CMS , course guidelines. No Sources not cited in correct format Page numbers not given for sources Overall assessment Submitted Essays may be rewritten once. When submitting a rewrite, be sure to clearly identify in the file name that it is a rewrite. All rewrites MUST be evidently a new version of the old paper, even if much improved. Rewrites may NOT be entirely new papers. 8