Week 4 reflection paper ZHA - Assignment Example

Reflection It has been an interesting read. It is quite amazing how the human body coordinates its activity from itssimple unit of a cell to the functioning of a fully-fledged being of a person. Science points to an evolutionary process that eventually lead to the differentiation of different parts of the cell. On the other hand, other people refer to theology in an attempt to explain the intricacies of human body functioning. Nonetheless, the four attached readings bring out an interesting aspect in the biology of the functioning of human being in health and in disease.

Thomas observes that diseases do not develop as a consequence of carelessness in the prevention of health, rather diseases are a result of blind accidents which we do not have control over most of the times(41). Additionally, he observes that germs are everywhere; therefore, we employ all manner of chemical prevention methods such as disinfectants. However, he poses that it is our body‘s reaction that is a threat to our lives, not the bacterial invasion (Thomas). I find this an interesting perception.

It is relatively true because extreme body reactions to foreign bodies such as in the case of hypersensitivity reactions in Steven Johnson’s syndrome result in extensive burn-like lesions. Philmus and Hughes opine that a living thing is a complete realization of birth possibilities, and it is sometimes confused with theological predestination (2). They note that although we may modify and recast the human body, the changes would in no way change the offspring (Philmus and Hughes). Mistelli posits that the arrangement of genes and their movement profoundly influence the body functioning in health and disease (68).

In a video exposition, medical illustrator David Bolinsky explains that the body is in constant functioning at the cellular level (Bolinsky). Indeed, the body and its interaction with disease-causing agents is a fascinating discovery. Though we may not know even a percent of it, once we figure it out we would have more control of our bodies.Works CitedDavid Bolinsky: Visualizing the wonder of a living cell. Dir. David Bolinsky. Perf. David Bolinsky. 2007.Misteli, T. "The inner life of the genome.

" Scientific American ( 2011): 304(2), 66-73.Philmus, Robert and David Hughes. H.G. Wells: Early Writings in Science and Fiction. California: University of California Press, 1975.Thomas, Lewis. Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher. New York: Demco Media, 1978.