Category: Uncategorized (Page 2 of 2)

• Part 1: 

Part 2: Summary

Jonah Lehrer’s main argument throughout this paper is that the sciences and arts need to work together to create a better understanding of scientific discoveries. He argues that scientists often look too deep into concepts rather than taking broader views. Sometimes, it’s the ideas and inspirations of a piece of art that allow us to question and understand why something may be the way it is. Or, it can just simply help us to better explain what we are already imagining, just as Bohr with the cubist paintings. What Lehrer tends to argue most is how metaphors, which were recently discussed in class, have an effect in how we understand something. Despite having two separate things, they make a second reality between their similarities. While some may argue that this can be dangerous, Lehrer continues to explain that if scientists are to work with artists to come up with better metaphors, then they won’t turn out to be as dangerous as one may believe. Lehrer also argues that the brains complicated sections may never be understood scientifically. He argues, and I agree, that when someone reads a novel, or poem, that they are more likely to understand how someone is feeling, what’s going on in their brain, and why. In conclusion, there’s need to be a “fourth culture” in which there is no gap between a scientists and artists communication. Instead, they should work together as one to explain theories, and create better questions that need to be answered.

Part 3: Glossing the Text

1. Reductionism – Analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of phenomena that are held to represent a simpler level, especially when this is said to provide a sufficient explanation. (Dictionary)
2. Epiphenomenon – A secondary effect that arises from but does not causally influence a process. (Dictionary)
3. Holistic perspective –  A perspective in which many different factors are taken into account to generate a picture of the culture as a whole (Study.com)

Annotations: 

I believe that for the most part, annotations are starting to become easier for me. However, I would like to see more of a connection with text-text, text-self, and text-world.

Yo-Yo Ma:

The essay, “Necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and Education” was written by Yo-Yo Ma, a cellist, and songwriter who has won multiple national awards along with Grammy Awards.  This essay was first posted to the online news website, World Post, during January of 2014. The main argument in Ma’s essay is that arts should be required in the STEM (science, technology, math, and engineering) field, turning it then to STEAM. As a student in the STEM field, along with many other majors, the argument of whether art should apply to students in my field is something that should be important in my perspective. Do we need art even though our courses are based around what chemicals are reactants, how photosynthesis works, the body’s systems, etc? Personally, I agree with Ma’s argument. I think that we often get caught up in the competitive side of STEM and only having a right or wrong answer. However, I think that is important that we start to look at both opinions on things, really focus on why something was wrong rather than why it’s right. The arts inspire us to picture things differently, and usually, the skill of drawing out context allows our brains to comprehend what we are attempting to learn. Ma argues throughout his essay that when meeting someone, we only allow ourselves to see the first picture of them. We don’t dive deeper behind their first impressions, what type of emotions they have, what they do, etc. Arts allow us to do this by creating an equilibrium from both extreme sides of an environment. By this, he means that we then create an understanding that allows opposing sides to agree on. Without art, we do not have the inspiration to take differences and creativity into our thought processes which typically comes together to create the best type of work environment.

“Glossing” Terms:

1. Posited – Assume as a fact or principle (Dictionary)
2. Tandem – When two things are arranged one in front of the other (Dictionary)
3. Invigorate – Give strength or energy to (Dictionary)

Annotation Pictures:

Part 1: First Draft Experience

After reading Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts, I’ve noticed that we both have a lot in common when it comes to writing first drafts of something. We sit there, looking in different directions for some bit of motivation to get us going. It seems like it takes days to get something down on a piece of paper, or on your laptop in some cases. I tend to get nervous about what I’m writing and what peers will think about it when they go to review my paper. “Wow, this girl doesn’t know how to write”. However, after a couple hours of outlining and organizing, the process seems to become easier as I’ve played out my quotes, intro and conclusion, and transition sentences. I am a bit shocked to see that professional writers/journalists struggle with this too, but at the same time I feel like all writing takes time and effort to just sit down and let the words flow.

Part 2: Revision Plan Strategy

My goals that I have set forth for revising my paper come together to make my paper stronger overall. First off, I plan on looking through my peers comments throughout my paper and seeing where they best understood what I was arguing and where they needed a clearer explanation. Once I’ve checked through their suggestions, I plan on double checking my quotes and seeing how they correlate to the topics I’m trying to make in each body paragraph. If necessary, I may need to go back through the three texts and collect more quotes to put into my paper that will strongly support my topics. This will also help to bring me up to the required word count of the paper. Lastly, I will look through my essay and see where I can place stronger words which will stick out to my audience.

Steps:

1. Read through my peer review comments, see what worked best and what didn’t
2. Add more to third body paragraph to better explain topic
3. Go through previous assignments and see which quotes I believed were important to describing metaphors
4. Add in text citations!
5. Make sure my transitions flow clearly through the paper
6. Once done, look through for grammatical errors and places where stronger words can be placed

My biggest challenge I think will be trying to add more information into my body paragraphs to bring me up to the word count. I am just short of the word count, however there still may be a struggle as to what should go where and what exactly should be added to the essay that makes the most sense to the argument. If this challenge seems too difficult to solve myself, I have a variety of resources I can use. I plan to talk to peers in and out of the class to get more perspectives on how to better my essay and what they think should be added. If they don’t seem to help, then I can email our writing fellow and get her opinion on where I can add more evidence and what I should be adding. If need be however, I can always contact my professor and ask for her guidance on this first paper.