Week 13, Compulsory Vaccination

I don't agree with forced vaccinations. I just don't think it is fair to ask people to subject themselves to something that is directly affects their bodies and health. I understand the rationale behind compulsory vaccines, but it seems dangerous for the government to start mandating what people should do to their bodies.

Week 13, Parents and Immunization

I think parents need to be really pro-active and investigate vaccines and their effects. I think often times we place to must trust in doctors and the medical professionals, and unfortunately they don't always have everyone's best interest as their priority. Because children as still growing and can get unbalanced more easily, it is crucial to regulate their vaccination intake.

Week 12, How Cells Divide

I thought the animated section with the explanations that went with it was really cool...plus it was really pretty to watch. Sometimes scientific animations aren't very aesthetically pleasing, but this one was actually really well laid out and had really well explained but also very approachable texts and graphics.

Week 12, Cell Biology and TCM

Cell biology seems to me to be pretty holistic...all the parts of the cell interact to make and function as a whole, and then these little wholes are completely affected by the environment they are surrounded by. I also thought the idea of cancer than Sely introduced in her presentation had many correlations not only with TCM but other forms of holistic medicine as well.

Week 11, Laughter

I don't know if laughter is the best medicine, but it is a part of a healthy life. I really can't imagine what my life would be like without laughter...it just seems to be such an important and beautiful part of the human experience. And if it keeps me healthy, I'll be happy to do it more.

Week 11, Carbon Offsets

All this talk about carbon offsets seems like a way of not dealing with the problem that is staring us in the face: carbon emissions. I really don't know how any of these carbon offsets work or what exactly they are doing. Although they seem to come from a place of good intention, it does raise the question of why not look more intensely for alternative fuels instead of simply offsetting the one fuel we have right now. If carbon offsets are buying us time to come up with a better solution, that is great. But are we offsetting our carbon a acting like we've solved the problem?

Week 10, Tailor-Made Cells

It's scary to read about companies talking so openly and matter-of-fact about the use of cells to introduce genetic material into people. Although this new technology seems revolutionary and helpful, there is a huge part of me that cringes at the notion of someone in a lab coat messing with genes and then putting them into my body. I am healthy, and if i was unhealthy and this could save me maybe I wouldn't think twice about it. Nevertheless, it seems like companies that are out for profit are the ones using and testing these new medical technologies...and that is really scary.

Week 10, Child Cancer

It seems like sometimes, leading too much of the "good life" can affect us in other ways. Although I am not surprised at the outcome of this study, it does seem a little anti-intuitive. I would think that richer children in rural setting would have access to better air, more exercise, and good food. But, there seems to be something in these children's lifestyle that is leading to higher rates of cancer. It would be very interesting to see how much of the modern, urban life has infiltrated these rural settings, or if cancer is appearing for completely different reasons.

Week 10, Reintroducing the Bison

The reintroduction of the the bison to the Great Plains is important not only for the ecology and ecosystem of the region, but also for a number of socio-cultural reasons that includes different populations of people. By restoring the bison, a part of Native American way of life is restored with them and allowed to live again. Also, it is a great example of how every day people can come together and fight for a cause they believe in. It is very inspiring to see people who otherwise would not really have much of a relationship working together.

Week 9, Social Ecology

Idealistically, social ecology seeks a new way of balance between humanity and our ways of living and the world we inhabit. It wants to understand on many different levels how our current relationship to the Earth and its ecosystems has arisen and hopefully create a new, more sustainable one. How it intends to do that, however, is another more complicated and complex issue.

Week 9, Ecosystems

Ecosystems are strong because they are highly adaptable and resilient. The organisms that make up an ecosystem will find a way to live no matter what, and an ecosystem suddenly faced with an enormous change can survive. At the same time, however, once a threshold has been reached, it is likely that an ecosystem will begin to fall apart. While an ecosystem can be stressed and survive, it can only be stressed to a certain point until it cannot repair itself.

Week 9, Deep Ecology

I think the eight points of Deep Ecology are pointed in the direction in which we need to be headed in order to not completely destroy the Earth's ecosystems. The points I liked the most are the first two which deal with the inherent value of all living beings and systems. I have always felt that way and thinking that something is only valuable if it gives us something is really sad because we are then blinded to the beauty of the world around us.

Week 8, The Deal that Saved the Whale

I think community-based efforts like this one are the best ways to prevent more ecological destruction. Without the interest of the local people, projects that intend to save different parts of the world are almost doomed to failure. It also gives me a lot of hope that people can team up and work as a community and decide was it best for them, and not let themselves be manipulated by outside forces. Overall, it is very inspiring.

Week 8, TCM and Immune System

I think TCM (among other things) is a great way to improve and strengthen the immune system. Unlike Western medicine, TCM has a long tradition of fortifying not only the immune system but also our organs, blood, Qi, and other important body aspects. Although Western medicine does not rely that much on prevention and improving and tonifying the body unless it gets sick, prevention and immune system improvement is one of the aspects that is strongest with TCM and one that can be easily imcorporated into the present day medical system.

Week 8, Western Approach to AIDS

It was actually very interesting for me to read about how Western Medicine understands AIDS. I had never had such a complete breakdown of how AIDS works on cells and genes. Overall, it is a fascinating disease, and the way in which Western scientists and doctors have studied the cellular aspects of the disease is impacting. But like with cancer, I can't help but feel a little perplexed at the fact that so much money and energy is funneled into into only cellular research and no other part of the disease seems to be as important to the scientists and doctors. Although I understand the value of what these researchers have dedicated their lives in doing, I wonder what would happen if the research was more diversified.

Week 7, Our Genes

It would be scary if our genes weren't still being shaped by natural selection...I don't even know what that would mean! It seems kind of illogical to think of humans as a finished, fully evolved species that is no longer under the pressure of natural selection. The only reason that we can't see how natural selection shapes the human species is because changes caused by natural selection can be discreet and take millions of years to develop (and because our egos get in the way when we think we are the culmination creation of the universe). 

Week 7, TCM and Cancer

TCM, unlike Western Medicine, looks to the entire individual (physical, emotional, spiritual) and and his/her lifestyle to understand and treat cancer. Every cancer patient is a different case and must be treated differently according to his/her constitution, symptoms, lifestyle, etc. Although there are theoretical ways to explain how and why cancer develops in the body in TCM, how the causes interact with each person is different. Cancer, then, isn't just a problem with a person's cells going wrong and requires the entire body to heal in order for the disease to be gone. 

Week 7, Our Knowledge of Cancer

I think Western Medicine's knowledge of cancer is both very sophisticated but also utterly lacking. Scientists and researchers seem to know the cellular problem of cancer pretty well, and this type of knowledge seems to be accumulating yearly. They know the mechanics of cancer at a cellular level. On the other hand (and probably because they have been blinded by too much microscope use), doctors and scientists are completely unaware of the overarching causes, effects, and outcomes of cancer. They have seemed to forgotten that the cells they are so fond to study lie within an extremely complex, multi-layered being. 

It's positive that Chinese Medicine is gaining popularity and respectability in the West, especially among those in the Western medical profession. Hopefully, this is a sign of the changes that are beginning to occur in the world, where the West is finally ready to drop it's superiority complex and begin to respect other culture's traditions and systems of healing. It is also great for the population at large because it makes available treatments that can help people feel better and come in contact with their bodies more. 

Week 6, Chimps

The significance of the use of tools and language in chimps is that it acts as a mirror for us, reflecting back to us where we come from and how far back our culture goes. It's kind of like those old pictures of the grandparents of your grandparents: you don't really know them but there is a sense of recognition somewhere there. Although we don't see chimps making cars or baking cakes, it is pretty clear that they are social beings that are innovative in their environment. 

Week 6, Living vs. Non-Living

In my eyes, living and non-living entities combine to form living systems that then combine to create the entire ecosystem that is Earth. However, it is hard for me to distinguish between living and non-living because I don't want to presume something about what it takes to be "alive" (like I don't want to play God and decide whether or not things are alive because, after all, I am a mere mortal). It is pretty ridiculous to assume humans can judge what's alive and what isn't. 

Week 5, Broccoli

I'm starting to get annoyed at all these articles that proclaim that certain foods fight or prevent diseases. It seems very strange that we must have scientific proof that eating well proves to be good for you. It also scares me that we are so disconnected from our bodies that what a lot of people eat on an everyday basis is poisoning them. It should be obvious that eating vegetables in the scope of a healthy diet should be good for you, but I guess even that gets to be examined by the scientific method. 

Week 5, Chicken or Egg?

I vote for the egg, simply enough because the chicken had to come from somewhere. But I also think it takes several eggs (generations) for new chickens (species) to emerge. I don't think some prehistoric chicken-like bird laid an egg and out came a chicken...it must have taken a little longer than that. 

Week 5, Diversification

I think diversification is the natural state of any species. When there is a bottleneck in the genetic material, many times species either die out or evolve into some new form of that species. When diversification starts to decrease, especially due to the overproduction of one strain or the forced mating of particular animals, it would seem as though the entire population would suffer. Genetic material is being taken out of the genetic pool and not allowed to be distributed through out the population. If diversification was re-introduced, I don't know wether it would be able to save a dying species. 

Week 4, Chimps and Humans

I really don't know when chimps and humans diverged, and I am more confused now than I have ever been. When I was studying primatology in college, I was convinced chimps and humans were closer both culturally and genetically to humans  than everyone else thought. Then I shifted back into thinking we were still very different than chimps. And then I stopped thinking about it altogether. Now, I have no idea...and there seems to be arguments on both ends that appeal to me. I guess right now I am comfortable with not knowing. 

Week 4, Dopamine

Yes, I think any human being can potentially raise the level of dopamine or any other chemical in their body. The human mind has a tremendous power if it is concentrated, harnessed, and effectively used. However, I think it is easier to "trick" your body into doing it if you get a treatment or a pill. I think this is partly true because we can completely believe that the desired effect will come to be thanks to the pill or treatment, rather than the power of our mind-body connection. I think placebos are an amazing way to heal. It's just too bad we are not taught to heal ourselves with that inherent healing power we all posses. 

Week 4, Is there a drug for everything?

There seems to be drug around just for everything, and there also seems to be a named disease around for any symptom as well. It seems like a conspiracy from the pharmaceuticals to come up with all these diseases which they can then sell drugs for, which in turn make people more sick and an environment in which then new diseases can surge. I know this is a generalized and paranoid view to take on the matter, and I am not completely convinced of it myself. But it seems really sad and unnecessary to be doing this to ourselves. As the number of ailments and diseases increase, we keep on buying medication instead of taking a good look at what we are doing to get sos sick.  

Week 3, Impressions on Human Genetics

When I try to sit and think about how genetic mapping makes me feel, I realize that it is hard for me to really come up with an opinion. Firstly because genes seem like something beyond comprehension to me: I know they are there doing their thing but I don't feel a necessarily strong connection to my genes (I can't focus my mind enough to feel them working...at least not yet :)). Secondly, genetics seem to me to encompass a part of who we are, but certainly not our totality. I feel genes are like the architect's blueprint for a house, giving it its shape and way of working, but our experiences, energy, and uniqueness color us in, like when a house is painted, decorated, and made into a home. So should scientists be mapping our genes to figure out where we came from and how we dispersed? Maybe, there seems to be some touchy social and scientific issues involved. In any case, however, they won't lead to a complete understanding of where we came from. 

It does not surprise me that we share so much genetic information with chimps and with all other animals. In fact, it seems to make sense. All animals seem to me to be pretty similar in physical form as well as in terms of needs. For so long we have tricked ourselves into thinking that we are somehow separated from the rest of our animal family, that somehow at the moment of our creation a trench arose and cut us off from the rest of the planet. I think the differences between humans and animals (as well as the differences among animals) are real and true...Humans have done things that no other animal has done, both good and bad. Somehow, thanks to the environment at the time and some new form of genetic combination, humans have been blessed with a capacity for reflection different than any other animal. But to say that that makes us completely different and not bound to the laws of nature is preposterous. Whenever I am blessed to look into an animal's eyes, there is always a hint of recognition, a knowing that makes me sure we are not that different after all. 

Week 3, Answers

D

B

D

C

D

D

Week 2, Impressions of Links

"What these examples remind us is that Darwinism is not only a scientific theory but also the basis of a worldview--and it has implications for the way we define human nature and morality and a host of other worldview questions. Of course, this is where the rubber hits the road for most of us who are not scientists. What we want to know is, what difference does Darwinism make, and what impact has it had, on questions like morality and the law, the family and education?" -Nancy R. Pearcey

I really liked this paragraph in one of the links because it really sums up a lot of the social and cultural effects that scientific ideas and theories (like evolution) make. Often times, I feel as though no one ever discusses science directly, but scientific issues are a lot of times the bud of many of the long-standing debates that go on in any society (just one example: the long battle between creationists and proponents of evolution). Science has such a subtle power to impregnate society with a lot of our world views, but we don't seem to give them the credit or blame for it. 

Week 2, How does Darwinism matter to me?

I am one of those few people who is completely fascinated by evolution and evolutionary theory. My fascination comes from a place of pure awe and respect to whatever it is that has enabled for the planet to exist and the natural world to thrive. Every time I see a tree or an animal, I am reminded that so many things and events had to happen for that being to be here and for it to have its own uniqueness. And while I understand that the history of evolutionary theory is full of notions of superiority and racism, I can really respect the people that dedicated their lives to their own version of the awe and respect that I feel. So I guess that my version of evolution is actually pretty important for me and informs a lot of the ways in which I see and relate to the world. 

Week 2, Comments on Evo-Devo

I have actually studied a lot of evolution and a lot of evolutionary theory and evo-devo is completely new to me. It really makes me wonder why I never heard about it during my undergrad and wether that had anything to do with the department not wanting us to learn about it (which is always one of those scary possibilities). In terms of the theory itself, it sounds really fascinating and seems to me to make a lot of sense. It has always struck me that development is scientifically and biologically the one crucial moment of becoming a distinct member of a species...I think the whole of creation is made up from a few relatively simple building blocks (like genes), and the way we get such an explosion of diversity comes from the interaction and construction of these building blocks. It also sounds fascinating to know how the whole development mechanism works, and how genes are "turned on and off" to create everything we see around us.  

Week 1 Impressions of Links

Personally, the history of the evolutionary theory is almost as fascinating as evolution itself. People seem to forget that evolution is a pretty old concept that has been in people's heads for a long time, even if it was never referred to as evolution. Unfortunately, it seems that the way evolution is being explained today in schools and in the population at large is reductionistic and overly simplistic. When I listen to people talk about evolution, it really seems like they are talking about Darwinism, a concept that no longer holds any real space in the academics of evolution. I studied a lot of evolution and evolutionary theory at college and the world of evolutionary theory has itself evolved and moved beyond Darwin's amazing yet archaic insights. I think it's a shame that a more appropriate and modernized version of evolution is really not known by most people.  

Week 1 Discussion Issues

Do we really understand or biological selves?

         From an allopathic, western medical perspective, it seems that we understand some of the aspects of our biological selves pretty well. We seem to know quite a bit about the way our body works in a mechanical way, our anatomy and physiology, most of the functions of the different organs, and other ways in which our bodies live and sustain themselves in the world. At the same time, however, there are a number of experiences and events that baffle the Western understanding of our being, especially functions connected to our mental, emotional, and spiritual selves. While other approaches of understanding such phenomena are denigrated by the scientific community as religious or spiritual explanations that are not based on hard facts and evidence, the western paradigm does not really offer a language in which to talk about the non-physical parts that make up who we are. It seems to me that to truly understand how all the aspects of our being communicate and work with each other we need to be more integrative in our approach of understanding the body and self, taking information from many different places and using a more holistic stance. Personally, I don’t think it is possible to completely understand everything about ourselves because we are the subject of our own study. I think that mystery, however, is a pretty amazing part of being alive.

Bio

Hi! I am Nati. I just moved to Berkeley to begin my Masters and I am in Trimester 0. I am excited to be in such a wonderful new place, surrounded by interesting people, and studying Oriental Medicine in the way that I want to study it. I look forward to getting to know all of you more as we begin this new (for some of you old) adventure together.Hi! I am Nati. I just moved to Berkeley to begin my Masters and I am in Trimester 0. I am excited to be in such a wonderful new place, surrounded by interesting people, and studying Oriental Medicine in the way that I want to study it. I look forward to getting to know all of you more as we begin this new (for some of you old) adventure together.