In the YouTube clip below, National Geographic freelance photographer Dewitt Jones talks about the need to find the right lens (perspective) when exploring a scene. He also notes that each scene has more than one “right answer.” That is, each scene can be profitably explored from more than one perspective. Such insights form the world of photography reinforce the message from this week’s Spotlight session about the Cedar Creek Waterway: a single topic can be meaningfully explored from more than one disciplinary perspective. His comments provide another important insight: for a given scene, some perspectives work better than others. You’ll find this true in your own research. While it’s profitable to explore an idea from multiple perspectives, you’ll often find that one or two help you best explore your particular research question.
Faculty members from five different disciplines shared their thoughts on the Cedar Creek Waterway, providing several different lenses through which to study the project. What new questions did that raise for you about the project? What insights resulted from the inter-disciplinary dialogue? If you were to continue to think about the project, which two disciplines would be the most helpful?
(NB: Thanks to Cornerstone faculty member Karan Cukrowski for finding and sharing this video.)
2 responses to “Choosing the Right Lens”
I think that Dewitt Jones is very much correct when he talks about the different angles or views you can have on one topic or example. I think that in life there are hundreds of views that people take on things that can sometimes seem quite obvious to someone. Perspective is a result of many things: like background or culture or even religion. Regarding the specific issue of the new water project that would go on in Abilene, I think that it’s interesting how each person had a different way of looking at the situation. Depending on their scientific position, or their environmental, or social positions, they made different points and comments on the project. Their views are affected by their job positions and what is important to them, personally. I think that it makes most sense, to me, to specifically explore the socially scientific aspect of the project as well as the environmental view. Tho set so seem to be the most relevant aspects of this particular equation. Regarding Abilene, I think that it’s very valuable to consider how it would affect the city socially. The positives and negatives that would play into the final decision. Also the basic environmental change that this would cause is important to consider and evaluate. I think that each of these people were able to understand other views and angles as they listened to each professional opinion during this discussion.
For my research question, I found that the Theological and Humaities were the best to use. The bible address gays and so does Humanities. My question is should we as Christians accept Gay Marriage. I found that these two discplines had the most information the most interesting views and angles about my research question. These two disciplines gave me insightful views and ideas about gay marriage.