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Ann Dixon's picture

Hello from the Serendip Tech-Head

Hello everyone, I'm a Bryn Mawr English major alum, and co-founded Serendip 17 years ago. I'm the shadow figure in the background making sure that the website works for you. Have fun this semester. Ann
mgz24's picture

Week 1

 The one topic from the last class that I have been thinking a lot about has been the discussion on the objectivity (or lack thereof) of science.  At first I was very opposed to the discussion that we were having about how subjective science really is.  I was thinking specifically of certain tests, for instance an NMR test.  In one of these tests I would interpret the results the same way any other chemist in the world would.  I felt that in our class discussion we were talking about science in too broad of terms, because I still believe that there are many fields in science that are truly objective.  Then this weekend my views were even further played with by a New Yorker article that I was reading for another Biology class.

kgould's picture

I am a horrible procrastinator

My name is Kate Gould, I'm a senior graduating in December of 2011 (medical leave), and I'm a thesis-writing English major.

I like video games and I guess the piece of technology that has been important to my development has been my father's Nintendo. 

From a young age I was inundated with computer games--my father is a mechanical engineer and loves all things tech. I guess by playing the Nintendo (and other games on the PC) since I was three or four, I've never been afraid of technology. It's all something that I want to try--and it's fun. Technology is fun--not scary or intimidating. I taught my mother how to use the computer when I was seven or eight years old. 

OrganizedKhaos's picture

The Only Thing That's Constant is Change

     I found this first week of discussion very interesting. As we continued the discussion on evolution as a way of being, I found many questions forming in my head. I understand the importance the role of history plays in explanations for why things are here, but I find more comfort in the idea that history cannot explain everything and that chance, opportunity and maybe even destiny are explanations for some occurrences. One example, we talked about was how we as individuals got here. Though there is a story or "history" that may explain how my parents met, got married, etc. The first answer off the top of my head was "by chance".

vlopez's picture

Week 1 Evolution

I am a firm believer of evolution.  To me it seems like the most natural thing in the world; we see it everyday with breeders, medicine, etc.  Evolution is a matter of change, whether in a positive direction or in a negative direction, in all living and non-living things.  Living creatures have been changing in order to adapt to their environment throughout the course of time, whether it is naturally or manipulated.  Naturally, we can use the example of the finches in the Galapagos Islands.  When climate changes occur, some species are more favorable than other; therefore, the favorable finches beat the unfavorable ones, hence changes within the finch species.  Manipulated evolution can be seen with breeders.  Many horse trainers study closely the diff

anonymous123's picture

Crackberry

 Hello my name is Tiffany and I'm a sophmore majoring in English at Bryn Mawr. The type of technology that has affected an aspect of my development would most definitely be my personal mobile phone, my beloved Blackberry.

I was extremely reluctant to buy a smartphone because there is social stigma attached to smartphone users - the zombie like texting fiends who walk into doors and fall into fountains. No really, youtube "woman falls in mall fountain." Smartphone users are typically horrible listeners because their attention is constantly glued to their phones. So the next time you have news to tell a friend be sure they're not on BBM or you might get a "No way! LOL" response when you tell them about your dog of nine years that just passed away.

J.Yoo's picture

The Internet is a Double Edged Sword.

 

This is late, and I'm sorry.  I'm also sorry if this isn't in the right place.


 

The internet encouraged development where real people didn't: I was an awkward kid and high school is not kind. So, when school was done for the day, I'd hop on the internet for fun. Online, I could explore without introducing myself. This avoided the inevitable moment a conversational partner would figure out I had no idea how “socializing” worked and ridiculed me for being a sorry, sorry excuse for an American teen.


 

hope's picture

billboard

On the drive to New Jersey this weekend I saw a billboard with the typical picture of evolution with the hunched over animals circled in red and crossed out and "in the beginning God created the earth..." written instead. I'm not really sure what exactly my thoughts are about this, just thought the class might find it interesting.

Marina's picture

introduction

My name is Marina and I am a junior here at Bryn Mawr. I'm majoring in Psychology and considering a minor in English due to the high number of English classes I have taken while at Bryn Mawr. I'm from Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb right outside of Washington, D.C. and I'd say that a particular technology that has been important to my development have been subway and public transportation systems. I heavily rely on public transportation to get me around to where ever i need/want to go because I don't have a car. The subway and bus systems in my city and others have allowed me to explore and see places that, if public transportation had not existed, i maybe wouldn't have seen.

senior11z's picture

Week 1 Reaction

 I grudgingly accepted the fact that I would indeed have to read a book about science before I graduated and began to read "On the Origin of Species" with apprehension. How could this possibly be related to stories?! In fact, as I read I found it quite compelling and surprised myself when I found the lengthy discussions of pigeons fascinating. The connection finally came to light on pages 117 and 118 when Darwin talks about natural selection in relation to pears, of all things. He says cultivating plants is a skill and a subconscious process, and while at the time the breeder certainly was looking for the best pear he could find, he had no way of knowing how this could affect the kinds of pears we would be eating in the near and far future. It made me think about pears today.

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