Autonomous Robotic Weapons

I chose to watch a video from Ted.com called, “The kill decision shouldn't belong to a robot,” by Daniel Suarez.  I chose this video because I found the title to be very interesting, as I have spent over 7 years in the U.S. Army.  Daniel Suarez is speaking on the use of autonomous robotic weapon systems.  These are systems that function without being controlled by humans.  His main point is that we should not allow autonomous robots to be able to make the decision to kill without a human.  I feel that the goal of his speech is to both educate and persuade people to agree with his position on this matter.  He is talking about something that most people, outside the military, know absolutely nothing about.  He talks about how the use of these weapons could change the entire social landscape.  Before we begin to employ weapon systems such as these, we must first understand how they could impact the world around us and how we, as humans, make decisions and work with each other to attempt to gain world peace.  The effects that could be brought on by these weapon systems could be completely catastrophic.  In the video (Daniel Suarez, 2013) states, “The way humans resolve conflict shapes our social landscape.”  He speaks on both the pros and cons of autonomous robotic weapons.  He also goes into more depth on the possible cons of these weapons systems.  There may be many great uses for un-armed weapons, but not to the point that they can completely make their own decisions.  I feel that the way he approached this particular topic, shows that he has a great deal of knowledge of these weapons systems and the true power that they can harness.  I also feel that by educating the audience on this topic it will help to persuade others to agree with his position. 

Suarez, Daniel (June 2013). Daniel Suarez: The kill decision shouldn't belong to a robot.  Ted.com.  Retrieved on November 29, 2015 from http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_suarez_the_kill_decision_shouldn_t_belong_to_a_robot#t-780609

Music & Expressive Writing Therapy For Veterans

For those of you who do not know or truly understand what Battle Mind Records is about, it all boils down to helping veterans through music.  I plan to use music and writing as a form of therapy for veterans that suffer from PTSD, along with generating a revenue source that will be used to help house homeless veterans.  Music therapy is proving to be a very positive form of therapy for many combat veterans.  The therapy can include listening to music, playing musical instruments, or even writing song lyrics.  I truly understand the help of all three of these elements.  I have always used listening to music as an escape from the stress of life, more so when I was deployed in Iraq.  Music has helped me to push forward under odds unimaginable.  I have also been writing song lyrics and poetry for most of my life.  I never truly understood how helpful it was until I was deployed.  It always helps to get things off of your chest, whether through talking or writing.  For those like me who have trouble confiding in others, writing is a great alternative.  According to Arts & Healing, “Expressive Writing (EW) is a brief intervention that instructs individuals to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about a stressful event without regard to the structure of the writing.”  I no longer play any musical instruments, but I started recording songs during my second deployment.  I realized very quickly that while I was writing and recording, the terrible world around me would disappear.  Many psychological studies have been conducted on music therapy.  The results show that it can be very helpful for those who have survived traumatic events.  According to WQXR, “Studies show that music can trigger the brain to release chemicals that distract the body from pain.”