Personal Made Public

In a development that should deeply embarass any Texan, it has been ordered that all Texas biology books will bear a sticker reading "Evolution is a theory, not a fact". I think this would be a good time to clear up a very common misconception about the terms "theory" and "fact".

In everyday usage, a theory is a idea that has not yet been tested in any way that would make a reasonable person assert that it must be true. When proven, it becomes a fact.

In the more precise language of science, this is not what "theory" and "fact" mean.

A fact is an observation. Drop a rock and it falls at a predictable rate downward. Run electricity through a light bulb and you get light. Heat flows from hotter areas of an object towards colder areas. The speed of light in a vacuum is 300,000 kilometers per second. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius. These are all facts.

If you have an idea that might explain WHY certain facts are observed you have created a hypothesis. It is the same as what you would call a theory in everyday speech. It is an idea, untested and unproven that might or might not prove to be correct.

Finally, we come to a scientific theory. A scientific theory is a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested by scientists worldwide. The tests must consistently and repeatedly support a hypothesis before it can be considered worthy of the status "scientific theory". Once a large enough percentage of the scientific community worldwide agree that the tests show that the hypothesis really does match all the known facts and does a better job of explaining the facts than any other available explanation the hypothesis is granted the esteemed title of theory. Scientists NEVER grant any explanation as to why something occurs a title more certain than theory because they are always willing to admit that someday, somewhere, there is a tiny possibility that facts might come to light that disagree with the theory.

Because of this, our most well-accepted explanations of the world are ALL theories. Electricity is a THEORY known as the Electromagnetic THEORY. Rocks fall to the ground in accordance to the THEORY of gravity. Hot things become cold because of the THEORY of thermodynamics.

On equal footing with all the above based on an overwhelming weight of evidence, species slowly change in genetic composition to form new and separate species according to the THEORY of evolution. That's "theory" as a scientific term, not the term "theory" as commonly used in daily speech.

Hey Texans: Don't you think it's time to give your goverment a lesson in vocabulary?

Posted by Kevin at 07:10 PM | Permalink

The Pauper Players, a student theater troupe here at UNC, is something the world could use in greater quantity. They perform musicals on a shoestring budget in the Old Playmakers building on campus twice a year. To every performance they bring a honest love for their endeavor, strong (if occasionally unpolished) talent, and incredible courage in putting themselves out there center-front for all to see.

This is how the world should be. These students choose to be participants in a society filled with spectators. They bring passion to their craft -- and their work is creative, intelligent, entertaining and uplifting. By its nature, theater is also a community-centered endeavor. It can't be mass-produced, packaged and distributed. Of course, Broadway does attempt this to some degree through touring productions, but being in the 87th row (no matter how polished the production) cannot feel as immediate, intense or real as being in the second.

Passion in a creative endeavor. Courage to offer yourself to the world. To do where others simply watch. Craftsmanship in place of mass-production.

Bravo, Pauper Players, bravo!

Note: More information on the Pauper Players is available by sending an email to uncchpp@hotmail.com Not in Chapel Hill? Support live events in your own community.

Posted by Kevin at 07:29 AM | Permalink

Well, I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that John Ashcroft is stepping down as Attorney General. He is choosing to pursue new challenges because "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.". Did I miss something? Did we catch bin Laden? Has the insurgency in Iraq ended with roses and cheers for our troops from an adoring populace? Did we find the 350 TONS of weapons-grade high explosives that we "misplaced" from the al Aaqaa weapons depot in Iraq?

The bad news is that Alberto Gonzales has been tapped to fill the slot Ashcroft leaves behind. In case you don't know the name, he's the guy that penned the famous memo concerning prisoners that concluded that "In my judgment, this new paradigm renders obsolete Geneva's strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions."

If the Geneva Conventions are "quaint" I have to wonder how he views the Bill of Rights.

Posted by Kevin at 08:12 PM | Permalink

We took my daughter, Ariel, and a friend to see Pixar's latest animated marvel, The Incredibles

I remember that when I was a kid that I would leave a movie with a larger-than-life, floating-on-air feeling. I don't typically feel that as an adult. That's not to say that I don't enjoy movies now, just that very few do any more than simply entertain. The Incredibles proved to be an exception and is therefore one of the very few movies that I recommend seeing in the cinema. It's worth the $8 or so that tickets typically run these days.

Enough said. I have to go save the world now...

Posted by Kevin at 07:12 AM | Permalink

I find that I have a need to write my thoughts for an audience -- even if that audience never appears.

By writing for an audience, I am forced to distill my thoughts into the most clear, concise, defensible form possible. It requires that I put the same care and effort into my writing as I once did when creating essays in school. This process makes my ideas stronger while honing my communication and critical thinking skills.

This little blog may never be read by any more than a few friends and family, but even if not one other person ever reads what I write here, my non-existent audience will still have served its purpose. For any friends and family that do drop by, l will throw in some personal tidbits as well.

To my audience, real or imaginary, welcome!

Posted by Kevin at 08:06 PM | Permalink