Food For Thought #9: Theoretically Speaking

Appetizer: What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Coffee. Usually I have oatmeal during the week, a pastry on Saturday and nothing on Sunday.

Soup: Phish or Monkees?

Monkees. I am old.

Salad: What is your first reaction when you hear the phrase, “I don’t believe in evolution”?

Facts are not things you can believe in or not. But, go ahead and live your life that way, if that's what you're comfortable with.

I could say the flower is not pink. But it's still pink.

Entré: What do you think about attempts to legislate science or even just how science is taught?

It's certainly nothing new. I would prefer my children to be taught, and for me to learn, whatever the newest ideas are, whatever the newest evidence has been found for, and whatever discoveries are being made. Some ideas will be shown to be inaccurate or even wrong, but may lead to reveal other facts. I am not comfortable with forcing people to learn concepts that have no basis in reality or fact. I am not sure how that's going to work out in the long run, when things end up simply not working that way.

Dessert: Has the word “theory” been stripped of its scientific meaning or become loaded with excess emotional baggage?

As with all words, meaning will differ depending on who is speaking, who is listening, and the assumptions they each make and share. Same as it ever was.