The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human

How have medical failures shaped key breakthroughs in medicine? Describe two or three examples from the book. Do you think people should celebrate these failures as the start of a journey that led to success? Why or why not?

Why does Mukherjee title his book The Song of the Cell? Is it possible for scientists to ever truly understand all of the songs of cells? How do you think Mukherjee might respond to your argument?

According to Mukherjee, what is a new human? Do you believe that he explains the ethical and moral dilemmas of cellular manipulation well? Do you consider new humans to be human? Would you become a new human? Why or why not?

Mukherjee suggests that the cell is the basic building block of all living organisms, including humans. Do you agree? How does his perspective frame What It Means to be Human?

Why are human cancers especially challenging for the human immune system to fight? Which treatments that Mukherjee describes do you find the most compelling in the attempt to eradicate cancer from the human body?

How does public opinion impact scientists’ ability to investigate the causes of disease malfunction and create potential breakthroughs to address them? Do you think scientists should consider public opinion when proposing new treatments? Why or why not?

Why does Mukherjee insist that scientists must shift from focusing on individual cells to the interconnectedness of cells? Do you think this shift is achievable? Why or why not?

Why does Mukherjee discuss the COVID-19 pandemic in a book that focuses on the story of cells? What did the pandemic highlight about the scientific process? To what extent do you agree with Mukherjee that “triumphalism fails in the face of more than six million deaths” (255)?