What was your favorite topic this semester? Why?
What was your least favorite?
What would you change about this class if you could?
What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment in biology this year?
My favorite topic this semester was the study of animals, because the we had dissections. I enjoyed working with group in the dissections of real specimens. One of my most memorable dissections would be the shark. The most exciting part of the dissection is when we found other marine animals within the shark's stomach.
My least favorite topic this semester is the study of genetics, because it frustrates me whenever I attempt to explain the concepts of genetics to my parents. They complain about my short height; however, they don't believe that my height is a result of genetics.
If I could change something about this class, I would suggest an addition of a calendar of due dates. This calendar would allow students time to plan according to the activities of this class and would be able to work ahead when time permits them.
I feel that my biggest accomplishment would be my success in keeping my big biology notebook. My biggest notebook of my whole academic career had been my biology notebook.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Genome Chapter Summary (10)
Chromosome 10: Stress
"When you have a lot of cortisol coursing through your veins, you are - by definition - under stress. Cortisol and stress are virtually synonymous." Cortisol as Ripley explains is produced by cholesterol and it is the hormone that interferes with the human immune system and it changes the sensitivity of the eyes and nose while altering bodily functions at the same time. However, Ripley concludes this chapter by stating the different explanations for stress that he does not agree to. Such reasons were proposed by Martin and Davies, and since Ripley does not find them convincing he ends with, "...so I challenge you to find a better one."
"When you have a lot of cortisol coursing through your veins, you are - by definition - under stress. Cortisol and stress are virtually synonymous." Cortisol as Ripley explains is produced by cholesterol and it is the hormone that interferes with the human immune system and it changes the sensitivity of the eyes and nose while altering bodily functions at the same time. However, Ripley concludes this chapter by stating the different explanations for stress that he does not agree to. Such reasons were proposed by Martin and Davies, and since Ripley does not find them convincing he ends with, "...so I challenge you to find a better one."
Genome Chapter Summary (9)
Chromosome 11: Personality
"A man's character is his fate." -Heraclitus
Ripley begins this chapter by defining the word "personality", "It means the innate and individual element in character." He describes that the genome is what make humans similar and different as seen in the same experiences of humans and their differences in personality. Several examples of these cases includes the experience of stress and the different personalities included humans being shy, anxious, risk-seeking, etc. With the explanation of the serotonin system, Ripley states that the human brain's serotonin system would respond to outside signals and there sensitivity to certain signals represents the differences in human personalities.
Genome Chapter Summary (8)
Chromosome 22: Free Will
"Hume's fork: Either our action are determined, in which case we are not responsible for them, or they are the result of random events, in which case we are not responsible for them."
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
In this chapter Ridley focuses on discussing the relationship between freedom and that it is how someone shows determinism and ownership. This relationships explain the reason to the fear of cloning; cloning would allow an individual's unique characteristics to be shared and those characteristics would no longer be unique. Therefore, Ridley concludes by stating "Everybody has a unique and different, endogenous nature. A self."
"Hume's fork: Either our action are determined, in which case we are not responsible for them, or they are the result of random events, in which case we are not responsible for them."
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
In this chapter Ridley focuses on discussing the relationship between freedom and that it is how someone shows determinism and ownership. This relationships explain the reason to the fear of cloning; cloning would allow an individual's unique characteristics to be shared and those characteristics would no longer be unique. Therefore, Ridley concludes by stating "Everybody has a unique and different, endogenous nature. A self."
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