Assignment #6

Assignment #6
By: Ambra Bourne • February 16, 2007

Post 1: “Reaction piece to the expert lecture”

James Watson and DNA and the Brain

James Watson figured out the structure of DNA and that it continues to make models of itself. He believes that genetics holds the secret for understanding human behavior because DNA is what makes us unique, without regard to this life and people would all be the same. We can read DNA message in our chromosomes and study human behavior. Watson feels that we cannot study nature so we do not know if this aspect of life makes us different, yet we can study DNA and genetics which has proven that it plays a major role in our behavior. To Watson, the key in understanding humans is in our DNA.

Watson feels strongly about the idea of nature vs. nurture. He sides with nature because we can study nature in our DNA, yet still feels that nurture is important it is just the fact that we cannot study nurture. For example, Watson states that we will learn and do better in school because of our genes over learning from a teacher.

Because we are unique from our DNA cells, Watson feels that you should never be the smartest person in a room because then no one else can help you, I find this funny, but believe that because we are all made up of different DNA structures that you can be smarter than someone, yet still be able to learn from them.


Post 2: “Substantial questions or elaborations or rebuttals to the required reading”

I felt the reading on the intelligent design very interesting. Most evolutionary biologists regard intelligent design as junk because they feel that the theory of intelligent design cannot be proven. They feel that the concept that God created the universe may in fact be true, but if it is the case, intelligent design still cannot explain the actions that take place after the creation of the earth.

The potato chips did not create themselves nicely arranged to spell a phrase. They were put there, there is an explanation for it, as for everything else that happens in life, evolutionary biologists feel that to go on chance and faith alone does not suffice in explaining the actions of the world. This theory is not good enough to go on to teach future generations.

Post 3: “Discuss issues or ideas raised in the critical thinking films”

Philosophy in Less than 5 Minutes (5-10) Beyond Belief session 10

As always, these short films were rather entertaining. The film Flam On, Morality Reconsidered talked about homosexuality and how homosexuality is in general a bad thing. The film fundamentalism is a mental disease states that creationist believe that the creation and being of God does solve any problems when talking about the bible, God does not explain anything, it is all a mystery.

When talking about the intelligent design they cover up the events that they cannot explain or relate to God, they say that it is a concept beyond our realm and instead they bring in faith. Creationism is taught only by those who cannot think, those who cannot look for explanations farther than just chance, or faith. However, evolution liberates us from this lame way of thinking. With evolution God does not have to explain anything that happened in the world, it will all be self explained thru the evolution.