Can robot soldiers make armies better?

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Can robot soldiers make armies better?

FromShort & Curly

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Length:

25 minutes

Released:

Sep 13, 2017

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Is it possible for an army to do the right thing? After all, armies destroy buildings and neighbourhoods, they kill and severely injure people, including children.

Released:

Sep 13, 2017

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

A fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents that asks those curly questions. From banning lollies to trusting robots, and from colonising other planets to eating pets, Short & Curly covers it all.

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Is Pokemon Go playing you?: Walked into any traffic lights lately as you stare manically at a screen? Maybe you’re one of the millions of people playing Pokemon Go, the augmented reality game which sends its players out into the streets to catch weird little imaginary creatures. Is it an annoying disruption of public spaces? And, because it’s cleverly designed so you never want to stop playing, we ask: Are you playing the game or is the game playing you? by Short & Curly
21 min listen
Is it ever okay to fight back against a bully?: Is the victim blameless if they become aggressor? by Short & Curly
18 min listen
Can you trust a robot?: As robots become more sophisticated and human-like, how can we be sure what they tell us is real? by Short & Curly
20 min listen
Should you eat your pet?: Unless you’re a vegetarian, there are some animals you probably eat regularly. But how would you cope if your next dinner was some stir-fried dog? Why is it okay to eat a baby cow (veal) or sheep (lamb) and not a cute little puppy? Are our ideas about eating animals a bit of a mess? And does this matter? by Short & Curly
19 min listen
Is Dumbledore as great as he seems?: He is wise and old and learned and kind, but the Principal of Hogwarts is not perfect. He deceives, he holds back really important information about issues of life and death, and is willing to sacrifice Harry Potter for the good of the many, leading him (as Professor Snape says) “like a pig to slaughter”. So, is Dumbledore an ethical person? How flawed are we allowed to be and still be counted as “good”? by Short & Curly
22 min listen
Is it ever okay to lie?: Kind lies. White lies. Little lies. We take a trip to the fun park to look at all sorts of lies we tell for all sorts of reasons. Like what if your parent asks you to pretend to be younger than you are to get a cheaper entry fee? What’s the right thing to do? Amidst the rides and games, junk food and excitement, we explore a few stories about lying, a subject which has divided some of the greatest thinkers in history. by Short & Curly
20 min listen
Is stealing music or jokes really stealing?: Is borrowing somebody else's smarts ok? by Short & Curly
16 min listen
Is it okay to use technology to help you sing better?: Molly Daniels thinks she has what it takes to be a superstar pop singer. The only trouble is, she’s out of tune and can’t hit the notes properly! Eek. But wait, there’s a program many musicians use which "fixes" their voice. Is it wrong to use technology to make you sound better than you are? by Short & Curly
24 min listen
Food fight! Can you be an ethical snacker?: Molly and Carl love snacks and treats. But when one of our listener's challenges them to buy only ethical snack foods, they face tricky choices in the supermarket. Join us on a race to see whether things that are yummy to eat can also be good for the world. by Short & Curly
25 min listen
Children under the microscope — the ethics of science: In the 1950s, a group of young boys took part in a now famous experiment to find out how easy it would be to turn two groups of children into enemies. The boys didn’t know they were in a scientific study, and many later regretted the things they did to each other. Is the knowledge we might get from such an experiment worth the pain it might cause to get it? by Short & Curly
19 min listen
Should pugs exist?: Carl thinks they have the cutest squashiest faces and biggest googley eyes of the entire canine world. He definitely wants to buy one. by Short & Curly
24 min listen
Are some people just unlucky?: Many cultures believe it’s good luck if a bird poos on your head, like what happened to Carl (eww!). Others say it’s bad luck if you break a mirror. by Short & Curly
24 min listen
Do you have to love your sibling?: We’re often told we have a special responsibility to our brothers and sisters just because they are family. But, do we really? And what kind of duty is it? What if you found out the annoying new kid at school was your long lost brother or sister? Would you feel any differently about them? And, if you really didn’t like them, is it somehow worse to kill a sibling than to kill anyone else? Yep, some murderously tricky questions! by Short & Curly
22 min listen
Should celebrities keep it real?: Images of movie stars and pop singers are everywhere we look – album covers, concert posters, t-shirts, Instagram feeds and other social media. Photos and videos are a big part of how famous people present themselves. But, how honest and accurate are they? Do they look anything like they do in real life… and should they? When do small changes to an image turn it into a lie? And does it even matter? by Short & Curly
23 min listen
Should we ban lollies?: Lollies are a colourful and magical and very sweet part of many children’s lives. But can you say no when faced with a bowl of jelly beans or sour worms or other types of candy? With so much concern nowadays about the amount of sugar in our diets, this show looks at self control and what we should do if people don’t have any. by Short & Curly
18 min listen
Who gets saved first in a fire?: For professional fire and rescue workers, it’s not all sirens, cool trucks and running red lights. They often have to make really hard and terrible decisions in moments of heat, smoke and danger. Their job is to be there to help on the worst day of your life. So, if you were a firefighter, who would you save first? by Short & Curly
20 min listen
Should chimps have the same rights as kids?: Perhaps the line between humans and other animals is more blurred that you’d think. by Short & Curly
18 min listen
INTRODUCING — Short & Curly Goes To America: While Molly stays at home to fight crime and breed endangered lizards, Carl packs his toothbrush and some clean underwear for Short & Curly’s big adventure to New York City. by Short & Curly
3 min listen
Can competitive sport be truly fair?: Do coaches, equipment and healthy food make for a level playing field? by Short & Curly
18 min listen
Is a child's life more valuable than an adult's?: The Titanic cruise ship hit an iceberg in 1912 and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lots of people died because there weren't enough life rafts for everyone. Women and children were offered seats on the lifeboats first because of their age and gender. But is that fair? Are the lives of kids more precious than the lives of adults? Guest: David Dyer, author of The Midnight Watch. Brains Trust: Buranda State School — Meena, Caitlin, Banjo, Rosey, Hailey and Rex. by Short & Curly
21 min listen
When is it okay to dob on someone?: Kids dob to parents and teachers for all kinds of reasons. It often feels bad when someone tells on you. by Short & Curly
27 min listen
Who wants a virtual life?: Let’s say you can hook your brain up to a machine which feels 100 per cent real and offers you the kind of life you’ve always wanted. The catch is, this perfect world isn’t real. by Short & Curly
23 min listen
The ethics of invisibility: What would you do if you had the power of invisibility? Would you sneak around, spy on people, commit crimes, pull practical jokes, or find out what other people really think about you? by Short & Curly
20 min listen
Should we ban families?: Why do some kids get all the luck? It doesn’t seem fair that some children are born into families with lots of love and support while others don't get any, or don’t have a family at all. The philosopher Plato had a pretty wild idea for how to fix this unfairness — get rid of families! He said if we did that, people would care more about all children, not just their own. What do you think? Would the world be a better and fairer place if we brought up children in a different way? by Short & Curly
25 min listen
Are you the boss of your emotions?: Molly and Carl might be great friends but that doesn't mean they don't fight sometimes. But when they do get into conflict they have very different ways of dealing with things. So, what should you do if you're feeling hurt or angry with someone? Is it best to bottle up your emotions and say nothing, or is it healthier to let it all out? We'll be getting some tips from an ancient group called The Stoics, who wanted to know how to deal with the highs and lows of being alive. by Short & Curly
21 min listen
Were the Ancient Romans bad people?: The Ancient Romans were a bloodthirsty lot. As entertainment they headed down to the local arena, to watch people and animals fight to the death. by Short & Curly
28 min listen
Why can’t children vote?: Kids have to live by the rules of the society they are born into but don’t get a say on what those rules are. Unfair, right? by Short & Curly
21 min listen
Life, death and a runaway train: An out-of-control train is heading straight for a group of people who don’t know they are about to be hit. You, as the driver, have some life and death decisions to make. What will you do? Hop on for a journey into one of the world’s most famous thought experiments. by Short & Curly
22 min listen
Is it ever okay to be a cannibal?: Molly, Carl and Matt become lost at sea, they've run out of food and they lack basic survival skills. So, would it be okay for them to eat each other if they get really really really hungry? Maybe don't listen to this episode while you're eating! by Short & Curly
25 min listen
Mind games and teasing on the sporting field: To be good at sport you need both physical skills and mental strength. So is it okay to tease and sledge your sporting opponents to get an advantage? Join Molly and Carl for a game of backyard cricket. Brains trust: Cricketers Haadia Khan, Lucy Johnston, Grace Bryson-Smith and Sienna Moore. Actors: Zali, Ngaio, Joel, Adam, Hannah and Jarvis by Short & Curly
20 min listen

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BITE — Loopholes: Do you have a favourite game? Maybe it's 'tip' or 'snap'? There are rules everywhere: from playing a game, watching TV, and even how to ask a question in class. But where there are rules, there are often loopholes. Are loopholes always bad? What if you're not hurting anyone? Thank you to Eloise for this loopy question by Short & Curly
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BITE — Independence: The word ‘independent’ often sits with other words – like independent learning, independent thinking, independent adult, and lots more. So, what is independence and at what age should we get it? Thank you to Leela for this thoughtful question! by Short & Curly
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BITE — Scared of Change: Getting comfortable can feel warm, nice, and sometimes even soothing. So, when we're happily floating along in life, a sudden tide change can really rock the boat. How do you deal with change? Should you be scared? Thank you to Kira for today's amazing question! by Short & Curly
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BITE — Money on the Street: If you find a $20 note on the street, can you keep it? Does it make it okay if it's just $5? Money is complicated, especially because everyone has a different relationship with it. So, when it comes to money, things can get curly really quickly. A big thank you to Isla for this tip-top question! by Short & Curly
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Should you kill insects?: There are about 10 quintillion insects in the world. Yes, that's a real number. And it's a lot! They're very small and very different from us humans. We might not stop to think about it before we poison a cockroach, squish an ant with our shoe, or kill a mosquito, but is it ethical to kill an insect? Brain Trust — Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Riley, Mahlia, Milo, Clay, Angus, Ava by Short & Curly
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The ethics of "getting even": Have you ever wanted to give someone a taste of their own medicine? They might have hurt you or been mean to you or taken something that's yours. But is it okay to do the same thing back to them? Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Maggie, Feranmi, Leo, Oli, Esha, Marjorie by Short & Curly
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Can robot soldiers make armies better?

Can robot soldiers make armies better?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Short & Curly