developmentmetaphors

=Metaphors of Coordination and Development=

1. Introduction
 * Until the 1920s, biological inheritance had much broader connotations than transmission of something discrete (which we now call genes). It also included development.  After all, when it is said that a person resembles their parent, two aspects of the transmission of traits to offspring are being raised: how does an offspring develop to have the trait in question at all, e.g., its eye color, and how does the outcome of the development at some point in the lifespan differ from that person to the rest of the family or population.  What, then is the relationship between the study of development and the study of difference?  What is the role of genes in both?  Competing answers to these questions are evident in the contrast between the work of Just and Goldschmidt in the early decades of the twentieth century.
 * Interpreting the work of Darwin has introduced the role of metaphor in scientific theories and their presentation to an audience. The account by Gilbert of Just versus Goldschmidt revolves around his interpretation of the metaphors underlying their work.

1b. __Mini-lecture__
 * Multiple views of heredity in the early 1900s.
 * Begin the exercise of explaining to aliens how offspring come to resemble their parents.
 * Metaphor; metaphors in science; metaphors in interpretation of science.

2. Reading and other Preparation >> (Morphogenetic development is not emphasized in biology education. The emphasis is on genes getting switched on and off.) >> (This is difficult to do without phrases and metaphors that beg for explanation themselves.) >> Draw up a chart summarizing the different views of heredity espoused by Just and Goldschmidt. Note, in particular, what controls what and how coordinated action of the different parts of a cell and organism are achieved. >> Think about these questions to prepare for class discussion: Gilbert sees a correlation between the scientists' social position and their actual scientific research. How could social position influence actual research even if the scientists were consciously trying to build in their social position? Does Gilbert’s interpretation devalue the science done by these scientists?
 * Review Gilbert, "Animal development," to inform or remind yourself of the processes by which an egg grows and changes form as an embryo.
 * Complete the exercise of explaining to aliens how offspring come to resemble their parents.
 * Read Gilbert, "Cellular politics,” in which Gilbert describes the different views of heredity espoused by Just and Goldschmidt.
 * Read Lakoff and Johnson, "Concepts We Live By," on metaphors.
 * Take a quick look at http://www.math.com/students/wonders/life/life.html on the Game of Life. If the applet on that site does not work, google game of life and the name of your browser (e.g., chrome) to find a working version.

3. Activities >> (Build on discussion of inheritance to aliens exercise. Students in the past have described, for example, improvisional dance, cheese making, and a casual conversation in an elevator.  When compared with the popular metaphors of DNA as code, there is lack of familiar phrases about development that depict or explain coordination of complex developing parts.) >> (See questions under #2.) include component="page" wikiName="crcrth645" page="GameOfDevelopment" editable="1" - include component="page" wikiName="crcrth645" page="developmentmetaphorsh" editable="1"
 * Use the Game of Life to explore analogies with principles of biological development (see below).
 * Invent alternative metaphors of or analogies to embryological development that do not rely on a central controller but capture the ability of the organism to co-ordinate its own differentiation and change and thereby make itself.
 * Discuss Gilbert's interpretation of the different views of heredity espoused by Just and Goldschmidt.
 * Game of Life as Game of Development**