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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What effect does Wilson say evolution had?

2. How does Wilson characterize the relationship between ecology and ethics?

3. How are scientific theories constructed and used within the scientific community, in Wilson's account?

4. How does consilience help us understand organisms?

5. What does science seek, in Wilson's account?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Wilson use evolution as a parallel for consilience?

2. How does Wilson offer ants as a metaphor for consilience?

3. Why does Wilson cite Einstein as an example of someone who practiced consilience?

4. How has postmodernism affected Wilson's consilience?

5. What does E.O. Wilson mean by the Ionian Enchantment?

6. How does Wilson describe the mindset necessary to be a scientist?

7. What is the relationship between chaos theory and consilience?

8. What does the term "consilience" mean?

9. What ancient sources does Wilson trace consilience back to?

10. How does the modern theory of dreams explain something like the presence and significance of snakes in dreams, in Wilson's account?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the difference between consilience and wisdom?

Essay Topic 2

European and American birth rates are relatively low compared to many developing countries. How do you reconcile this with Wilson's arguments about evolution, and how the expansion of power over territory allows the dissemination of genes? Has America's influence been genetic? How would you characterize its influence, and reconcile its influence with its low birth rates?

Essay Topic 3

What would consilience look like if it were accomplished? Would it expand or limit scientific experimentation? Would it encourage or suppress dissenting views? Would it be totalitarian or fractious?

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