When judging a product to BEST in its group,
a. should we consider only the characteristics of the finished product (whether it is the fasted, lightest, smartest, most reliable, technologically cutting-edge, sleekest, most aesthetically appealing, most compatible, etc.)
OR
b. should we also look beyond the finished product (whether only the wealthy can afford it, its impact on the environment, the human labor practices of the manufacturer, the country or person supplying the materials needed to make it, the ethical business practices of company CEOs and executives, the producers' other products, etc.)?
Consider the implications of your answer to this question:
Don’t we normally VALUE (respect, hold in high esteem, praise, desire) what is best? Should you value something that is functionally brilliant but also could be harmful to the earth and human rights? Should you value something made by unscrupulous people who care only about making money?
If you believe that something could be the BEST but you don’t have to value it, then what should be valued?
POST DUE: Thursday, September 16 by start of class.
2 RESPONSES TO POSTS DUE: Monday, September 20 by the start of class.
Living in the 21st century we can now look back in time 50 or 100 years ago ago. We can research what people thought was the best in the 19th century. We now can see that using oil, for example in industrialization, building cars, and running an economy was not the greatest discovery of all time . We can look back to the mid 20th century and realize that nuclear power was not the greatest discovery of that time period either. Both of these cutting edge technologies have been found to have major enviromental impacts that are expensive to cure.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking a todays best energy source, solar
power, one can argue that it has very little downside,based on todays information and science. However, in the 22nd century solar power may be found to affect the environment in an unhealthy way. In conclusion, nothing is forever the best. The best can only be described as something that satisfies the needs and wants of the people and environment of that time period. Needs and wants are ever changing and the "best" can't stay cutting edge forever.
I think that in todays society what is looked at as the "best" is the finished product. People want what is the fastest, lightest, smartest and ,sometimes, even the most expensive. I agree that the price could cause a major set back when determining which product is the best but in America, it is not the biggest issue.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, people simply look past the effects it could have on the environment or even the people that contribute to the making of it. For example, the iPhone is one of the most advanced phones of all time. Does anyone really know what work goes into it? Does anybody care? Overall it is a difficult thing to name something the best but it depends on the criteria on which it is being judged.
When deciding if something is the best in its category, we must realize that the definition of the best is something of the "highest quality". Not once is the word value used or even implied in the various definitions of best because, though it may not be fair or just, the way we obtain the best does not take away from which one is the best. The item with the best qualities or features is simply the best no matter who created it, its effects on the environment, or whether it will harm humans because we are not attempting to buy an item we are simply assessing which device or item we consider to be the best. On that note no item would be harmful to the extent that it would be endangering lives because we must meet certain guidelines when manufacturing products so i believe that argument is a bit unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteI believe the "best" should not be valued solely on its characteristics, but the factors involved in the final product. In today's society, there have emerged various kinds of people, religions, languages, practices, beliefs and social classes. Because of these various types of people, the "best" product should be based on factors that would be most beneficial for ALL kinds of people. A product that would not only benefit the rich but also the poor. The "best" product should be a product that the general public could agree upon as being valued "best" and most beneficial for the public.
ReplyDeletePrice is not a determining factor of whether a product is the best in it's class. It is however, a determining factor in whether or not you should buy the product. Whether something is of high quality and whether it is a fair deal are two completely different questions. If price is a factor in the quality of a product, then that means that the quality of the product changes when the price changes. That is ridiculous because unless the product itself has changed, it remains the same quality regardless of price. The only thing that changes with price is the fairness of the deal.
ReplyDeleteWhen comparing the quality of different products, the only thing that should be taken into consideration is the end product. To involve price is missing the point entirely and is a different question altogether.
I think that we should value the best, however should we also consider all the facts. I would never purchase or support a product that may exploit child workers in countries where there are no laws to protect them. In considering the best athletic shoes Nike comes to mind. Many consider Nike athletic the best in the world. Nike produces some of the most technologically and fashionable footwear, however in recent years Nike has been cited for using subcontracting factories in Vietnam that did not comply with international labor laws, in particular regarding children. I remember reading the newspapers in Norway and thinking to myself, I'm not going to buy or support Nike shoes until they stop this practice. In conclusion "the-best" has its importance in society, but not at all costs. We as a society should always consider our environment, community and ethics before deciding the best.
ReplyDeleteIn today’s world, people share and hold different opinions and what they believe should be valued in a product. All people have different standards, definitions, and criteria’s for what is the “best” product. I know personally I feel that the best product to my satisfaction is one of which that is the fastest, the lightest, the smartest, most reliable, the sleekest, very appealing, most compatible and more! Though there are a number of people who think otherwise. So, I strongly believe that there should be no one dominant definition of what is in terms the best and what should be valued. A great example is the Apple Iphone. Yes, this product is now becoming very repetitive to this topic though it’s a product that can help explain my reasoning. Most people who buy the iphone buy it for what it’s capable of doing, and the features in which it contains. People tend not to think so much as to the human labor that was endured into the creation of this product, ethical business practices, or its impact of the environment. Overall, we value what is satisfactory to our wants and needs.
ReplyDeleteIn todays society I believe that "Best" is determined by the final outcome of the product. In all reality people determine best by how fast,light,sleekness, most reliable and the different types of features the product has and people don't really pay attention to how a product is manufactured and who its manufactured by. For example when people buy the Iphone they buy it because they feel like it is the best phone on the market because of the quality of the phone and all the features and apps that is provided and people dont really care about how and who manufactures the phone they just care about the capabilities of the phone.If we put manufacturing of the product and labor practices into the discussion of best it would be hard to put one as best.In conclusion if you want to judge a product on "best" you shouldn't include where the product is manufactured because the best should only be judged on the different types of features an capability's that the product provides.
ReplyDeleteThe “Best” is something that can be valued only in the eye of the beholder(s). Something that may be the best for one group of people may not be the best for another group of people. It all depends on what their needs, wants, and criteria are at that specific point in time. Relating this issue to cars, if one wished to purchase a car that would save them the most money in the long run with better mileage and reliability then maybe the “best” option for them could be the Toyota Prius (50 miles per gallon). However if one’s criteria for a car was one that would turn a lot of heads in jealousy, then maybe the “best” for that person would be a Lamborghini Murcielago. In this case, the final product would obviously be the best. But relating this question to environmental issues, maybe you’re juggling the differences between solar power and nuclear power. Both have their pros and cons but the final decision of which is “best” would go far beyond just the final product. For any given situation, determining how to value what’s best is an argument that could go on forever. But every single time, the best final decision that can be made will always come down to what best suits the needs, wants, values, and criteria of the chooser.
ReplyDeleteIn order to determine what is "best" there are many different contributing factors. When we look at the product its self we may only look at its speed, apps, and design. However this may only apply to developed countries where most things are mass produced and most people buy things out of pure vanity. In many other countries things are bought based on necessity and not luxuries and price is a huge contributing factor into determining what's best for that person.
ReplyDeleteIf we look at it what is best from a moral view point and see who produced the product (the factory workers may make the product but may never have to money to actually buy one), its impact on the environment, and the materials behind the product, we may eventually find big contradictions. with our values and morals that will make us reconsider buying the product.
So, there is no one absolute definition of what is best, it depends on the buyer needs, moral standards, and want.
When determining what is the best you do need to take into consideration more than just the finished product. For example, a sweater that was made in a sweatshop that harms the environment should not be considered the best sweater out there, even if it has the nicest design and fits the best. The best sweater could be one that fits a little worse maybe but was made in a way that doesn't hurt the environment. Price is also a factor in the best. That same sweater that was made without hurting the environment could not be the best if it cost three times as much as a normal sweater.
ReplyDeleteA product can be valued solely for it's final product with no regard for other factors. A person could value the great-fitting sweater, even if they are aware of how it was made. Also, a poorly made sweater could be valued solely because it's environmentally friendly.
Being the best is completely subjective, but it goes beyond just the finalized product, although it can be valued based on just one aspect.