title: How to use the initialize method in Ruby
body: <p>I'm trying to wrap my head around the purpose of using the <code>initialize</code> method. In Hartl's tutorial, he uses the example:</p>
  <pre><code>def initialize(attributes = {})
     @name = attributes[:name]
     @email = attributes[:email]
  end
  </code></pre>
  <p>Is <code>initialize</code> setting the instance variables <code>@name</code> and <code>@email</code> to the attributes, and, if so, why do we have the argument <code>attributes = {}</code>?</p>