Discussion Questions for TDH, Ch.
24-29
1. Describe the different way Franklin was portrayed between
The Double Helix and The Canon.
3. If Watson was really trying hard to race and be the first
to discover the structure of DNA , why did he spend much of
each day doing silly off-task activities?
4. How do you feel about the last few pages of the book not
including the epilogue?
5. On page 201, Watson admits to possibly being biased due
to the biological advantages of complementary DNA. Will
human nature always guide scientists towards biased research
or can it be avoided?
6. On page 189, Watson states, “I would still be young when
I committed the folly of publishing a silly idea. Then I
could sober up before my career was permanently fixed on a
reckless course.” How might a scientist’s current reputation
affect his or her decision to publish possibly incorrect
research?
8. On page 180, Watson says that he often left the model
unattended because he felt that without a solution to the
bases, working on the model would not be beneficial. Do you
believe that stopping work on something completely until a
certain piece clicks is smart?