Name: CAPUNO, Kiara B.

Course & Section: BS Biology with Specialization in Medical Biology / MEB15

Professor: Jumel G. Estrañero
Subject: G-SOSC003: Art Appreciation

The Variables of Life

The evolution of the world is the result of the interactions of both the living and nonliving things.
In a conference spearheaded by Harvard University, Karen Thornber, the discussant of panel 3 entitled,
“Land, Sea, Air, and People: The Elements of Ecology”, tackled four papers that were presented. In the
context of climate change, the first presenter explained how mapping is used as a planning tool, seeking
the approaches of regions to climate change and how accurate experts can represent various geographic
locations. The second presenter focused on the Dayak people, who are tightly bonded with the forest,
can take part in bridging the gap in which we perceive nature and help experts brainstorm on identifying
the root cause of these problems with the use of indigenous knowledge. The third presenter tackles the
relationship of social media and the further spread of haze, particularly in the context of a massive
production of palm oil as a demand of capitalism. Lastly, the fourth presenter discussed marine
conservation and how the Bajao people are being affected by the actions of the government.

Professor Thornber evaluated the first paper by posing questions on the benefits of integrating
professional and academic planning approaches, and advised talking more about the difficulties that
could occur while translating maps because of cultural differences. In the second paper, she questioned
the definition and origin of "indigenous knowledge." The term refers to a subjective dynamic that can
vary depending upon a group. She suggested learning more about how to embrace and honor
indigenous knowledge without overromanticizing it. Professor Thornber proposed during the discussion
of the third paper to elaborate the relationship between social media and the harm caused to Southeast
Asia by pollution like haze, and the effects of climate change on human health. Finally, she advised the
fourth speaker to recognize future collaborations between various sectors to address marine issues as
well as any potential conflicts that might develop within those collaborations.

As a student in the science field, the discourse of the scholars had a significant influence on me
as it highlighted the importance of being thorough and detail-oriented, especially while writing research
papers. I agree with Professor Thornber's suggestion to be precise when defining "indigenous
knowledge." Writing academic papers throughout my academic journey taught me the significance of
being able to define terms precisely and objectively. This aids in determining comprehensive solutions to
the issues being addressed. Additionally, based on the third paper's details, I find the relationship
between social media and haze ambiguous. It needs a more concrete technique to thoroughly display
the correlation of the variables and identify substantial solutions based on the data acquired. I was also
able to infer from their discussion the significance of being cognizant of the scope and limitations of a
research paper. The conversations among the experts allowed me to understand how crucial it is to
adhere to the specific objectives of an academic paper in order to omit unnecessary information and
variables. Furthermore, the presenters' topics provided me a completely new perspective on how all
aspects of life are related to one another; they were able to study the relationships between nature and
the things around us, which most of us do not recognize. However, I suggest connecting the topics on
ecological problems where the majority of the people are involved are also beneficial and interesting to
tackle. I deem that this discourse will benefit me a lot as I further examine the depths of the field of
health and sciences.