“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you said. You were being indistinct. Can you please say it again?”
(18 words)
Written for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, where we are challenged to write a poem or piece of prose using the word “indistinct” in exactly 18 words.
I was itching to write a flash fiction piece in response to my one-word prompt, “theory.” But in the end, I decided, rather than trying to pull something new out of thin air, and at the risk of coming off somewhat as a rapscallion, I’d repost this December 2017 rant.
It really chaps my ass when people argue that evolution is “just a theory” in order to attack its credibility.
In everyday vernacular, the term “theory” is often used to describe a guess or a hunch. In science, though, a theory is not a “good guess.” It’s something that has been proven to have considerable merit based upon substantial amounts of evidence. It’s based upon facts and observations, not on beliefs.
Let’s clarify a few terms and how they’re defined from the scientific perspective.
Hypothesis: In science, a hypothesis is an educated guess based on observation. Usually, a hypothesis can be supported or refuted through experimentation or more observation. A hypothesis can be disproven, but not proven to be true.
Fact: In science, a fact is an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and, for all practical purposes, is accepted as “true.” Truth in science, however, is never final and what is accepted as a fact today may be modified or even discarded tomorrow based upon further examination and new discoveries.
Theory: In science, a theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.
So, a scientific theory, such as evolution, is a highly substantiated, well-supported, well-documented explanation for our observations. It ties together all the facts about something, and provides an explanation that fits all the observations. In science, theory is the ultimate goal, the explanation. It’s as close to proven as anything in science can be.
In other words, a hypothesis is educated guess; a fact is a what; a theory is a how and/or a why. A theory in science is an explanation, not just a hunch or a good guess.
What a theory is not is a belief or an opinion unsubstantiated by observable, tested evidence.
So to those of you who claim that evolution is “just a theory,” you’re right, it is a theory. A well founded scientific theory.
Written for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (itching), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (theory), Ragtag Daily Prompt (air), and Your Daily Word Prompt (rapscallion).
I rarely reblog other bloggers’ posts, but I thought this post, written in response to my one-word prompt, “finite, gives us some extraordinary insights into the potential impacts of climate change and reminds us that our time on the planet if we ignore it, is finite.
Fandango’s One Word Challenge today is finite. I have read other posts that have managed to cover several one word daily prompts in one post, which I admire. I have not attempted to do that. I don’t usually respond to the daily prompts due to lack of time or lack of inspiration. But the concept of FINITE got me to thinking…
Is there really such a thing as infinity or is it merely theoretical? Energy is infinite: it cannot be created or destroyed so it just moves around from one energy-based organism to another. Supposedly the universe is infinite, numbers are infinite, but the human mind cannot really conceive of infinity. In the human mind everything is finite. Our lives are finite: we are born on a particular date, we live our lives and then we die. Our experience exists within a finite framework: We live on a finite…
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For this week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday post, Linda has asked us to write something using the word “critic” and/or “critical.”
As some of you may know, I have been a fairly harsh critic of Donald Trump. And one of the reasons I’ve been critical of him is because I believe he is incapable of critical thinking. Don’t get me wrong. Donald Trump is critical of anyone who is critical of him, but that doesn’t mean that he’s exercising critical thinking.
So what is critical thinking? It means that you make reasoned judgments that are logical and well-thought out. It is a way of thinking in which you don’t simply accept what you read, hear, have been told, or are exposed to. Rather, you are capable of weighing the facts in evidence, considering the sources of the information, and questioning the arguments and conclusions. In other words, critical thinking is the objective analysis of facts to form a judgment.
Have you ever seen Donald Trump — the leader of the free world, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the United States, and arguably the most powerful man on the globe — demonstrate that he can conduct an objective analysis of facts to form a judgment? I didn’t think so.
Does he ever engage in reflection that is directed at truth and guided by evidence? Or does he more typically demonstrate a willingness to dispense with evidence altogether in his rhetoric and his actions? Does he listen to and carefully assess the information and guidance provided to him by subject matter experts, or does he dismiss them and go with his gut…his ample and uninformed gut?
Think about it. This man, who is the President of the United States, is incapable of critical thinking.
Shouldn’t the ability to think critically be a critical requirement of the office he holds?
Yes, I’m a critic of Donald Trump. I don’t know about you, but the fact that he is president and that 40% of my fellow Americans think, uncritically, that he’s the greatest thing since sliced white bread scares the shit out of me.
Welcome to February 23, 2019 and to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). It’s designed to fill the void after WordPress bailed on its daily one-word prompt.
I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (US).
Today’s word is “theory.”
Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.
Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Or you can simply include a link to your post in the comments.
And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. You will marvel at their creativity.
This, That, and the Other 