Nature

Biomimicry studies nature to solve some of the problems humans face today.

Janine Benyus' TED presentation on Biomicry challenges us to "re-think nature" she said to try to imagine spring if spring never existed. This is incredibly complex and thought provoking but insanely frustrating. I really can't imagine trying to design nature because it is so beyond my thought capability. I realized, as a result of this notion, that we really do design almost every basic thing on what is found in nature. An example of this that I remember from class was the Nokia Morph phone that we studied back in October. The Morph cell phone could withstand virtually every natural and unnatural element. Like a duck with feathers, it beads up water and expels it off of the surface of the phone. Like a fly, it has thousands of transistors on it's skin. It is almost like technology is beginning to come full circle and not be the antithesis of nature like it often is. So many times, technology strives to be better than anything that has ever existed, including nature. It is the StarTrek mentality. That something out of this world and shiny and metal is the way to go. I know that this might seem like tangent but I Janine's account of nature as the sole design from which we should learn and base our own designs sparked my thoughts. It also makes me think about how we are all so vulnerable and weak sometimes. People are praised for technologies that can actually be harmful to us in the long run. The cell phone, while it makes life easier and planning ahead less difficult, it has really affected our interpersonal communication. This video was just pretty eye opening and very humbling. I think that all of the tech moguls should watch this!

I have included a video of the prototype of the Nokia 888, kind of like the morph but does not seem to have all of the biomimicry elements that the morph has. Here it is (I cannot seem to format it to play right here in the sourcebook):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G32JmZkRddc&feature=related

Jonathan Haidt

I found Haidt's idea of Liberal vs. Conservative morality so entertaining!  I agree with him whole-heartedly on his idea that we assume liberals to be more open minded and conservatives to crave familiarity and comfort with tradition.  I have always felt that but never could find a way to communicate that.  His idea that openness predicts who becomes liberal is true in my own life.  As a democrat, I am surrounded by conservative-hating liberals (I am not one, I like Republicans and value their opinions) and I cannot keep track of how many jokes and comments I hear about conservatives being afraid of things that they do not know.  This idea is present in the current debate on gay marriage. Haidt also talks about how the majority of "tedsters" are most likely liberal, and by a show of hands, he is correct.  He goes on to say that while this is expected, it is not ideal.  TED maintains the goal of seeking deeper understanding of the world.  With a team that shares all the same attitudes and values, it shuts down the possibility of gaining insight through a different set of beliefs.  I can compare that example to feminism at Saint Mary's College.  As a student at SMC,  I am constantly reminded of the sacrifices of early feminists and how we have to continue the fight today.  I think it is fair to say that the majority of SMC students adopt some level of feminist values, beliefs and attitudes.  With this singular ideal, we get stuck in this rut of feminist angry discourse.  I am not much of a feminist - I'm a person, while I am a girl, I am just a person.  I do not think being a woman puts me at any advantage or disadvantage, so I do not identify so much with feminism. I am able to offer my opinion in classes and I hope that it offers a different point of view for my classmates and helps them to open their minds to what the outside world might think (The outside world being people who are not feminist). 

Haidt talked about the moral matrix in human beings and how there are 5 categories that testify to the validity of this moral matrix.  Harm Care, Fairness Reciprocity, In-group loyalty, Authority and Purity/Sanctity, were the 5 that he identified.  All of the categories were interesting but I found the purity/sanctity the most interesting.  He said something that I had never thought of before.  He said that liberals are beginning to connect purity with food choices and what we find healthy enough to put into our bodies.  I think that is extremely profound.  After I graduate from SMC, I would like to continue on to grad school to study public health and nutrition.  This idea of food as purity is incredibly interesting and the more I think about it, the more I see examples.  The organic craze and the whole foods trend seems to be a liberal thing. That would be a really awesome thesis. This is something I will be thinking about over the next few months!!

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