The topics will span the realms of science, philosophy, theology and ethics. Stu

The topics will span the realms of science, philosophy, theology and ethics. Students are to prepare short essays (250 – 500 words) that address each topic introduced. The essays are meant to be the original thoughts of the author and do not require outside sources, though correct citing is expected when appropriate. Submissions will be graded based on their clarity and relevance to the topic.
In the story of Plato’s cave[1], man resides in an underground den where he is chained so as to only be able to see the shadows cast by the light of reality as projected on a wall in front of him. It is a dark allegory in which man is like a prisoner in the dark trying to make sense of the ideals he can only imagine are shining upon that which he sees. It is also an appropriate metaphor for the mechanism by which molecular structures are derived by a variety of methods[2]. Using this metaphor, if science is dependent upon trusting shadows to envision the ideals from which they are illuminated, how does the scientist influence the interpretation of the shadows and thus the meaning of the ideals?
[1] Plato, translated by Desmond Lee, The Republic, Penguin Classics, 2003.
[2] Van Holde, Kensal, E., W. Curtis Johnson, P. Shing Ho, Principles of Physical Biochemistry, 2nd Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.