1. "A Matter of Scale" addresses the way in which we perceive the world through a specific point of view––which is mainly our own. We tend to view the world in our perspective and we tend to push away how another person, an animal, or just about anything may perceive something in a much different way. This can be in either a minuscule scale or a much more substantial scale that our eyes can just not perceive in any way. We begin to view the world this way at a very young age––going off this idea in psychology called 'theory of mind.' When we are young, most children tend to be very 'selfish' in a way. To the point where they can never see what is almost beyond their vision. They cannot place themselves in another person's shoes and see what they see and this very much correlates to this idea that Cole writes about––that we cannot see things beyond our own scale.
Cole's essay changed my view on the world in some ways. I always––especially after taking psychology in high school––have found myself putting myself in other people's shoes and seeing from their point of view. How they might feel about a certain topic, or just their field of vision in general. Paying attention to detail in both microscopic and maybe even astronomical ways is something that can be useful when it comes to writing, thinking, or just everyday life. It is something that everyone, every day, should stop for a second and take a look around to what is around them and how all of these living things can create a whole new perspective or thought-process towards certain things in your life. Like Cole's example of a fly becoming stuck to water (or any liquid). It is something that you learn in school at a younger age, but you do not always remember these facts. When you forget these facts, you forget that a lot of things cannot be helped because it is the way the world works. However, never submerge yourself in endless facts, because that is not the complete point of Cole's essay. Cole's essay draws on the whole purpose of our textbook "Writing and Seeing" and the importance of drawing inferences to be able to come to reasonable conclusions. These conclusions can lead to very specific ideas that are your own. It is what you think. It is what you see. It is everything that makes you into the person you are and being able to perceive and deduct, will allow you to have a much greater outlook on the way you see the world for what it is.
2. When it comes to writing an essay, your own opinions may not be what is needed to make those opinions credible. Schrödinger, a physicist, who also wrote on philosophy is known all around the world for his strives in quantum physics and of course, 'Schrödinger's cat.' If Cole were to footnote Schrödinger, it would really weaken the essay as a whole since the majority of the essay consists of many paraphrased facts from many other people. Schrödinger, in comparison to Cole, has a much greater history in seeing how the world works and being a great thinker, because thought plays a huge role in quantum physics. Through the text, you can see Cole's tone change drastically after the introduction when she begins to paraphrase certain facts to prove her point of seeing beyond your own scale. Being knowledgeable of these facts of the world help pave a road to this journey of seeing on multiple scales whether it be 'big' or 'small.' Footnoting and paraphrasing these people that have contributed these facts to society, allows Cole to really strengthen her paper by using different literary techniques (i.e. metaphor, simile, imagery etc). As Cole is not an expert in all of these different fields, she uses her resources to bring this overarching idea of how the world–– matter, gravity and all of these things enable different people or things to view the world in a whole new way.
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