Sociology of Games
What are two reasons why animals play games with each other (wrestling, play-biting, trying to catch/go after balls)
Playing allows animals to build social bonds with one another, understand limits of their power, understand ethics of right/wrong (what hurts others?), and to practice skills they might need as adults.
In which century did Baseball, Football, and Basketball all emerge within the United States?
The mid to late 1800s
The "Difference Engine," designed by Charles Babbage in the 1830s, was the first of many mechanical devices meant for this purpose
What does the acronym USSR stand for?
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
What is the difference between a Claim and a Reason?
A claim explains what you think, while a reason explains why you think it.
What are two reasons why we observe human beings playing games with one another?
Playing allows people to build social bonds with one another, understand limits of their power, understand ethics of right/wrong (what hurts others?), and to practice skills they might need as adults.
What was Manifest Destiny?
Manifest Destiny was the white supremacist belief that European Christians had been given permission by their god to conquer all land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This meant that they could kill or displace all indigenous people.
This invention in the 1930s relating to the "language" that computers "spoke" or "thought in" allowed for much faster computation
What was Binary coding (yes/no, 1s/0s)
When was the Cold War era?
The end of World War 2 (1945) to the fall of the USSR, 1991
What is the correct order of the following components: Reason, Claim, Rebuttal, Conclusion, Counter Argument
The correct order is:
1. Claim
2. Reason
3. Counter Argument
4. Rebuttal
5. Conclusion
What is Game Theory?
A way of thinking critically about the choices that two opponents have in a game, and how different combinations of choices will lead to different outcomes.
What is Democracy?
Democracy is a culture and system of organization that values a balance between individual rights and collective responsibility. Democracies find ways to give people a voice and power over decision making, usually through organized debates and voting.
Before the release of Personal Computers (PCs), computers were massive machines that filled up entire rooms. Which decade saw the initial release of basic personal computers that could type essays, solve math problems, and even play basic games?
The 1970s
What does MAD stand for, and why?
Mutually Assured Destruction, because if either the USA or the USSR launched nuclear missiles at each other, the other would respond with nukes as well, leading to total world destruction.
What is the difference between a Counter Argument and a Rebuttal
A Counter Argument is a reason why someone might disagree with you, while a Rebuttal is your response to this disagreement. This is your attempt to convince the other person.
Which chemical is released in our brain when stressful or threatening moments happen, and which chemical is released in our brain when pleasurable, gratifying moments happen?
Stress: Cortisol - helps us maintain focus through stressful or threatening situations
Pleasure: Dopamine - helps motivate and relax us
Which war was fought to end chattel slavery in the United States, and which decade did it happen?
The American Civil War, 1861-1865
In which decade did internet connection become widespread for average (non-government) people in the United States?
The 1990s
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis and when did it happen?
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense moment between the USA and USSR that nearly ended in nuclear war in 1962. The USA had stationed nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey, close to Soviet borders. In response, the USSR stationed nuclear missiles in newly Communist Cuba, 90 miles from US shores. After much discussion, both the US and the Soviets agreed to remove their missiles from those countries.
What does it mean to "proof-read" your writing?
Reading your writing out loud, checking for spelling errors, punctuation errors, and grammatical errors.