Kmill104 Week 1 Shared Journal Entry

Week 1 Reflection Questions

Before Denning

1. When I hear the term computer science, I think about the entry level commands I learned in my CMSI 1010 class. These include basic statements like print, add, and subtract. I think about how specific the syntax has to be in order for the code to successfully run and display your desired result.
2. When older relatives or friends hear the term computer science, they probably imagine a screen just filled with 0s and 1s and that has no meaning for them. They likely know that computer science has to do with computers and their function, but unless they had pursued a career in this field, they probably do not know much beyond that.
3. When younger relatives or friends here the term computer science, they likely have a better idea of the basic elements of coding. Coding classes have become more common in schools, and I know that many of my younger relatives and friends have acquired some knowledge about the field.

Before Janovy

1. When I hear the term biology, I think about many things. Biology encompasses so many different areas of life. It is primarily the study of life, and what processes are essential for functioning organisms on this planet. It includes the study of cells and how they interact with each other, and how these cells group together in order to ultimately result in an organism. Biology also looks at the interactions between species, both within their population and how they interact with others.
2. I would consider myself a biologist because of the courses I have taken at LMU. I have learned so much across different aspects of the field. I have also participated in experiments in my General Biology laboratory courses. Generally, I would consider a biologist to be someone who both studies biological concepts and experiments within the field.

After Reading Both Denning and Janovy

1. The purpose of the first articles were to show that computing is not just coding but is made up of many professions, which include engineers, mathematicians, and scientists. Programming itself is not always understood, and the intricacies within that field are reduced to just coding. Computation can be seen in almost all parts of life, as it is now the study of information processes, both natural and artificial. Computation can be seen across all fields and is an infinitely growing concept. These articles showed me that my understanding of computer science was incredibly narrow, as I had believed the myth that computing only involves programming. The book chapter showed me that being a biologist does not mean you have to work in a certain field or even have a job in science. You should instead have the values and worldview of all successful biologists, meaning you must be interested in all living organisms and see the world in the context of biological interactions. All three readings showed me that there are many more aspects of computer science and being a biologist than I had previously known.
2. The voice of the Biologist appealed to me the most. I think it is very interesting that information processes can be found in nature and do not belong to only artificial information systems. While I know how DNA transcription occurs, I had never considered that it is simply a computational process. This has given me a whole new way of thinking about biological processes and the computing that is required for cells and organisms to function properly.
3. Design can be applied to the way that I organize my closet. In my closet, everything belongs to a specific group that has a designated spot. Without this organization, it would be incredibly difficult to efficiently locate something I need. My closet needs to have a reliable design, if I mess up and toss my clothes somewhere instead of putting them in their correct spot, I will later need to go in and “debug” what has been misplaced. I also must take careful consideration of what spots I choose if the item of clothing could potentially be placed in multiple groups. It is important that it has more similarity to whichever group I choose, so that I will always know to look in that spot.
4. I found most interesting the emphasis on naturalism, and how Janovy considered an interest in naturalism to be fundamental for a career in biology. He noticed that in all his mentors, they somehow followed the naturalist tradition even if they were unaware of it. To be a successful biologist, one must have an interest in all organisms and their natural origin. I was also interested in his belief that biologists should hold a worldview where they see everything in the context of biology, which led me to realize that I had often been doing so, even if I wasn’t aware of it.
5. To be a biologist, you must consider your values, rather than what you do. It is one thing to have a job that is related or even unrelated to biology, but it is another to have the values of a biologist. Biologists have a unique worldview, where they see everything in the context of biological concepts or processes. They are different from other professions, who view things in the context of primarily human activity and what we do. Biologists study nature and see humans as a late-stage competitor for our world’s resources. To be a biologist, you must have an attachment to all living organisms, not just humans. Biologists must ask questions about the biosphere, and they must be open to potential investigations for everyday observations. They must also recognize both the complexity and uniformity that is present within organisms. Similarly, they must see the many types of relationships that exist between organisms and how environments are based on interdependency. And though there are many tools that can be used in the field of biology, these tools are not what make a biologist. We can use different fields of science or even the humanities to learn more about a subject, but a true biologist will be able to use these tools and then apply them based off of your own observations and understanding of the world. In some ways I would consider myself a biologist, because I feel that I do see the world as a biologist should and have an interest in all organisms. But I am still working towards being able to come up with the right questions and to apply my observations, specifically in an experimental context.