Reflective Blog Post #3 - Make 2

For this assignment, I really had to think about what a "narrative of science" is. This make required me to sit and think long about hard about the true nature of rhetorical interpretations of science in everyday life and what a nebulous concept "science" can be when one tries to dissect their own understanding of it.

Then I gave up and took a gamble on this:


I got lucky - I made it to the Greenhouse within five minutes of it being locked. The gentleman managing the place was kind enough to let me wander around with my camera while he locked up (you may hear a door closing at the beginning of the video - that's him leaving).

The Greenhouse is a perfect location for a "learning walk," one of the suggested make formats, and ties right into one of the one-pagers I made before this. The experience of writing the one-pager was useful in that I knew the geometry/features of the greenhouse beforehand and knew a few things I could comment on. It's a darn good thing I got there when I did, especially since I went home for the weekend that evening.

The one-pager I wrote about the greenhouse (beforehand):

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                I took a trip to the McMillan Greenhouse this afternoon. I’m not sure I was allowed to… but the door was open, so what the hey. Needless to say, the general effect of science was very visible in each room. Let’s talk all about it!

                A primary purpose of the facility seems to be education to the general public. There are plaques and factoids all around. Of course, all I got to see was the visitor’s section which is a linear path through different categories of plants, such as tropical, cactus, primitive, etc. There was no shortage of very interesting plants I’d never seen before – the intent being to inspire people to take an interest in botany or some subdivision.

                The proprietors of the greenhouse must have been scientists. Big shock. Science in this context can be two things: a proposal to the observer to look deeper into these plants and their biology or the science of maintaining a greenhouse, which must be very detail-heavy. It’s a very impressive institution when you think of all the questions its founders and its upkeep had to ask themselves to keep these plants in such good condition. “What plants can share soil? What plants must be potted?” When I was walking through, something beeped and water was sprayed from pipes onto certain plants hanging along the walls. “What is each plant’s need for watering and how should we automate this system?” Outside of the greenhouse is a smaller exhibit of many varied plants. “What plants can be left outside, unprotected from the elements?”

                The categorization of the plant rooms must have also been a scientific venture. “Which plants are similar in origin and biology? Which are aesthetically similar? What species would catch the most people’s eyes?” I’m sure that with as many plants as are contained in the greenhouse, large and small, the managers must be adding and removing exhibits at least every now and then – a form of experimentation.

                The greenhouse is a very useful representation of science and truth – an exhibition of botanical knowledge and a scientific institution unto itself.

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For Make Cycle #2, we had to write memos to our fellow writing group members telling them what we planned to do. I came to the decision of the learning walk right smack dab in the middle of writing my memo, documented below for your pleasure:

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I don’t know what I’m going to do for my make. The format is, as always, up to the maker’s interpretation, right? And the subject is “rhetorical readings of the science world”? For someone with little scientific interest, initiative, and intuition, I seem to have an almost insurmountable task before me. Then again, the format is, as I said, totally up to me. So I might have an exceptionally surmountable task on my hands.

                I could go with one of the example formats laid out on the class Wix site; that would be the easiest route. I could just try talking on the subject in front of a camera – the only somewhat more interesting option. But that would necessitate writing and critical thinking, which are both for suckers.

Just kidding.

Don’t know what I’m gonna do. Maybe I’ll do something with the camera involving maps and narratives – maybe a walk-through of the Greenhouse. I could describe all the different rooms as I walk through them. That might work. I just thought of that now, guys. Whaddaya thinka me now?

Here I should probably lay out a few things I have to figure out. For example, what is a “narrative of science”? I’d love to map them out, but frankly I’m not sure what they are.  How many questions from the blue sheet (the ones about science, ya-doi) should I answer? How the heck am I gonna fit such answers about science and my experience with the same in a single make? Also, am I way overthinking everything? I think I am. Yes, quite sure.

Wish I had more to add to this little memorandum here, but I’ve made plain my ideas and I’ve made plain my questions. I would like your feedback on both.

If you please.

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I did almost zero preparation for this learning walk, and nothing I say is a prepared answer. Nonetheless, I tried my best to be engaging, brief, and insightful to my personal thoughts and opinions, so check out the video above today!