So, What Have We Learned?

     Initially, when I realized I had no other choice but to take this course in order to finish meeting my degree requirements, I wasn't exactly thrilled. I was expecting a class full of long-winded, drawn-out arguments on...gosh honestly I don't even know what. Actually coming into the class, however, I was excited to get to know not only more about the ins and outs of science and how it evolves, but about how I think as well. My biggest takeaway was when we were talking about Darwin's finches. Initially, I was adamant that there was some sort of selection happening, there had to be because beak size is heritable in birds, it just is. We've seen this as a fact in studies conducted after Darwin looked at his finches. When the question was brought up, "but are you sure?" I was quite peeved at first. Well, of course I'm sure. Beak size is a heritable trait. It just...is. However, allowing myself to step back and blur out some of my preconceived ideas, I was able to see the bigger picture of it all. Sure, beak size is heritable, but in the case we were looking at, was selection happening? I was able to take into account the drought, the trend line, the amount the beaks were changing, the amount they were "shrinking back," the context of the experiment itself and all the other factors at play instead of just zeroing in on this one idea that may or may not actually be at play in this instance. Overall, I think the biggest thing that I was able to glean from this class was an ability to step back and look at all the possibilities and the current context rather than zeroing in and finding myself stuck in "either or."