Biology, eh?
Those of you who know me in real life are probably aware of my general disdain for biology. Now I'm not about to change my stance at all - obviously physics will forever remain far superior - but having been researching and pondering biology for a story I'm currently writing, I've come to realise exactly why I disdain it so.
Yes, the main reason is still wishy-washiness but now it's slightly more defined!
You see, my story (as yet unnamed) involves the chemicals of life in a very specific sense. Pretty much a "let's build an organism from scratch" type of thing, but that's where I run into problems. You see, no one's ever actually done that. Sure they've genetically engineered lots of things, even grown organs from stuff, isolated DNA, fiddled around with drugs... but no one's constructed an organism, molecule by molecule - or even organic blob by organic blob, for that matter. Humanity has not yet managed to create completely artificial life. Everything that's been made has had the advantage of pre-existing starting products. Personally, I think that's cheating.
What would make biology more interesting (and fruitful in the scientific sense) for me is if such things were possible and if the exact chemical/molecular composition of each component of a cell were known... Such wonder could we know, such heights could we soar to, such questions could we answer, such answers could we question...
A synthesis of the three core branches of science (physics, chemistry, biology, in order of decreasing greatness ;p) at the most fundamental level could even answer the mightily mysterious question of What Is Consciousness?
Alas, biology hasn't progressed to such a level and while drugs are good (the medicinal kind that is, the other kind are BAD, very BAD), they are best left to those who find that which numbs me with boredom to be fascinating and exciting.
For my story I will have to make up some science, which is fine because it is science fiction, after all. Of course, I could become a biologist and subvert the discipline onto the path I have just deemed the only worthy one... but that would take too long and this story wants to be written now not in ten years' time; it's been burgeoning in my mind for quite long enough. Also, it's probably too late to change majors now, not without adding on another year.
So any volunteers with a knowledge of biology to be beta readers? ;p
PS forgive any typos or complete inability to spell; I haven't slept much the past few weeks and I am barely managing to keep my eyes open to finish typing this.
Yes, the main reason is still wishy-washiness but now it's slightly more defined!
You see, my story (as yet unnamed) involves the chemicals of life in a very specific sense. Pretty much a "let's build an organism from scratch" type of thing, but that's where I run into problems. You see, no one's ever actually done that. Sure they've genetically engineered lots of things, even grown organs from stuff, isolated DNA, fiddled around with drugs... but no one's constructed an organism, molecule by molecule - or even organic blob by organic blob, for that matter. Humanity has not yet managed to create completely artificial life. Everything that's been made has had the advantage of pre-existing starting products. Personally, I think that's cheating.
What would make biology more interesting (and fruitful in the scientific sense) for me is if such things were possible and if the exact chemical/molecular composition of each component of a cell were known... Such wonder could we know, such heights could we soar to, such questions could we answer, such answers could we question...
A synthesis of the three core branches of science (physics, chemistry, biology, in order of decreasing greatness ;p) at the most fundamental level could even answer the mightily mysterious question of What Is Consciousness?
Alas, biology hasn't progressed to such a level and while drugs are good (the medicinal kind that is, the other kind are BAD, very BAD), they are best left to those who find that which numbs me with boredom to be fascinating and exciting.
For my story I will have to make up some science, which is fine because it is science fiction, after all. Of course, I could become a biologist and subvert the discipline onto the path I have just deemed the only worthy one... but that would take too long and this story wants to be written now not in ten years' time; it's been burgeoning in my mind for quite long enough. Also, it's probably too late to change majors now, not without adding on another year.
So any volunteers with a knowledge of biology to be beta readers? ;p
PS forgive any typos or complete inability to spell; I haven't slept much the past few weeks and I am barely managing to keep my eyes open to finish typing this.