English 101:MT9 — Mason Topics Link to Biology 103:MT9
Essay 1 — Description
One of the points Lewis Thomas makes in his essays is that we are made up of individual cells consisting of several once independent micro-organisms (mitochondria and other organelles). Most of these cellular processes go on outside of our conscious awareness. This essay challenges you to image those processes.
Assume you are communicating with an intelligent single-celled entity (perhaps an alien life form, perhaps merely an intelligent amoeba). Your object is to describe how it feels to be multicellular. In 3-5 pages, describe the mechanisms of your cells, and your awareness (or lack of awareness) of such activity.
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