"We must give up a conventional notion of human dominion, but we learn to cherish particulars, of which we are but one, and to revel in complete ranges to which we contribute a precious point," (p 4)
This quote is meaningful to me because sometimes I naturally feel as though humans have a special place in the universe and it takes some stepping outside of my anthropocentric tendencies to remember that we share this planet with myriad other species. The universe is big and sometimes I get too involved with my daily life. Gould is right; diving into particulars, the specifics of a subject, contributes best to a broad understanding. For example, science can be studied broadly in a Philosophy of science course, but much can be learned about the process of science by studying tiny yeast cells...for years…will give the scientist a deep understanding of the scientific process and can help others understand mysteries of life.
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