Technology Advancement and Ethics: One reason humans differ from other animals is because of ‘ethics.’ Due to this difference, we believe that human beings are unique and that ethics are relatively stable. However, the factor that alters human ethics is the development of science and technology. In 2006, Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka discovered that mixing four chemicals with human skin cells could create undifferentiated stem cells. These cells are pluripotent, meaning they can develop into any type of body organ. Before this discovery, it was thought that such cells could only be produced through the combination of sperm and egg, but it was later found that they could also be synthesized artificially. Human philosophies, values, and ethics are trapped within technological advances. As science and technology advance, existing ethical frameworks are increasingly challenged. Now, traditional values that have been defended by gender distinction will experience severe conflict. - Jos...
In 2019, the coffee shop franchise Banapresso had 47 branches in Seoul, 35 of which were concentrated in the Gangnam and Seocho districts. There were even other Banapresso stores within 200 meters of each other. It was denser than Starbucks. 100% of orders were placed through kiosks and mobile apps. The elders thought it would be hard to place an unattended order, but when they tried it, they were impressed with how seamlessly they were connected to the register. An Americano costs KRW 1,500 (about USD 1.27). There was only one employee. Everything was ordered at the touch of a button and the coffee was served within 40 seconds. All the bread was made at a nearby headquarters and distributed in batches. Banapresso was the antithesis of a traditional coffee franchise. Its parent company is an IT company that operates a ride-hailing app. The same business can be completely transformed into a different business model, due to the interpretation and context. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”