Biomimicry: Recap of January 2023 Discussion

Bullet trains. Air conditioning. Wind turbines. All brilliant inventions - but can we truly take all the credit for these advancements? Biomimicry, the act of applying nature-inspired designs to solve human problems, has been the catalyst for some of our most monumental achievements; kingfisher bird beaks gave rise to the speed and noiselessness of bullet trains, termite mounds kindled the design of environmentally-friendly building ventilation, and humpback whale fins brought about wind turbines with reduced drag and doubled performance. When the observation of nature stands to teach us so much about medicine, engineering, and materials science, it begs the question; if we are biologically animals, why do we refuse to see ourselves as such?

A curriculum is created for each discussion, which includes articles to distribute to the residents beforehand, a lesson to introduce the topic at the start of the discussion, and discussion questions to facilitate resident participation and engagement. Linked to this post is the complete discussion outline for our January 25th discussion on organ donation at the North Hill Retirement Community. Below are excerpts from the document, including the list of articles distributed to the residents prior to the discussion and a list of some of the questions we discussed together.

Articles distributed in advance to residents:

‘Immortal Jellyfish’ Could Spur Discoveries About Human Aging

What Termites Can Teach Us About Cooling Our Buildings

The Beak That Inspired a Bullet Train

Whale-Inspired Wind Turbines

Are Humans Animals?

Discussion questions:

1. How many people believe humans are different from other animals only in degree (best in class), and how many people believe we represent a different class altogether? May one or two people from each viewpoint please volunteer to explain why they feel as they do?

2. Previously I referenced four proposed ways in which some believe humans are qualitatively different from animals: abstract thought, mental symbols, promiscuous combination of ideas, and generative computation. Do you agree with his formulation, or do you think there are other equally important distinctions?

3. What sets us apart physically and psychologically from other animals?

4. Would it change anything about the way we live our lives or the policies we create if we believed that we were different from animals only in degree?

5. Do these differences make us ‘superior’ or grant us any special privileges?

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Full discussion outline document:

Biomimicry Discussion.odt

Download ODT • 25KB