1. Diversity of Life Reading Reflection #2
By: E.O. Wilson

3. Two main types of exploration: #1
Discovery Science (descriptive science)
Observations and Measurements of the world
Seeks to explain natural phenomenon
Can occur in the field (i.e. Documenting mimicry behavior in fireflies)
Can occur in the lab (i.e. Measuring the level of defensive steroid in captured fire flies)
Another Example: Sequencing of the human genome (Where is the experiment?)
Chance discoveries: Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin.
Inductive reasoning process – conclusions are generalizations that summarize many concurrent observations.

4. Two main types of exploration: #2
Hypothetico-Deductive Science (Hypothesis Science)
Seek to answer the questions that discovery science inspire
Scientific Method
Controlled Experiments
Can occur in the field – (i.e. Reintroduction of a species to a habitat.)
More often occur in the lab (i.e. Yeast Journal Article you just read)
Deductive reasoning process – Specific solutions to a question are proposed, experiments are carried out to see if the solution is refuted

5. Chapter #3: The Great Extinctions
Relate Wilson’s description of the science behind 5th Great Extinction to the ideas of inductive and deductive scientific processes.
Which type of exploration is more prevalent in this chapter? Give specific examples from the book (at least two).