I am thrilled that my Feb. 4 ‘Ways of Seeing’ column has generated so much thoughtful discussion. I want to thank those who have responded here or reached out to me personally. I am grateful to those who have shared their deep knowledge of Darwin’s work and legacy.
I would like to clear up one misconception that I think might have been generated by the Addison Independent’s choice of a headline for my piece: my musings are much more about the way ideas about science and objective truth get fixed in our cultural psyche rather than intended as a critique of Darwin specifically. I’m not deeply familiar with Darwin’s body of work, as some who have reached out are. I’m more familiar with the cultural interpretation and impact, and how these (perhaps distorted or overly simplified) big ideas show up in my thinking without me even realizing it.
I suspect that’s true for others as well.  And certainly, it’s so much more complicated than I’ve articulated. Overall, my biggest learning, so far, has been to hold much more loosely to that which I think I know (have been taught), and to be open to a multiplicity of ways of knowing. I’ve taken so much for granted that “It’s Just The Way Things Are.”
This limited perspective has reduced possibility. And I’m questioning the systems in which I live and work. Certainly, they are producing their intended effect. But can they be rebuilt, or what would it mean to start over?
As we move forward, we will need every drop of collective imagination to vision our world where all life can thrive. And for what it’s worth, I thought a much better title for my piece would have been “Can we be a community of caretaking?”
Thanks again for engaging.
Emily Hoyler
Ripton