Another coincidence?
I found myself in a science classroom today, after blogging briefly last evening on the Texas Board of Education’s quandary concerning what to teach about evolution in Texas schools.
When I arrived at the science classroom, I learned that the seventh graders would be working with the topics of Charles Darwin, adaptation, evolution, and natural selection! Surprise, surprise, surprise…..
I looked at a poster about the Scientific Method on the wall. (Note, someone VANDALIZED the Wikipedia article on Scientific Method and its factual accuracy is questioned; I never realized that something like the Scientific Method could be controversial! I envisioned peasants with pitchforks and torches!) I realized that part of the problem folks have in discussing evolution is the word “theory” in “the theory of evolution,” which has a precise scientific meaning and a much looser meaning to most folks who are not in science. Many folks would confuse the word “theory” with the word “hypothesis” in the Scientific Method. A hypothesis is speculation early on in the method. A theory is the closest thing to a “law” that scientists have, while still hedging their bets! 
The first article that I linked about the Scientific Method shows “hypothesis” somewhere near the middle of the Scientific Method, and “theory” at the end. (As it should be….) The Scientific Method poster in the room had “Publication” as the last step, because all of the good science in the world doesn’t help anyone, if you don’t let people know (and have the work peer-reviewed).
Anyway, I told the seventh grade kids that I view “science” and “religion” to be very different things and that I know many deeply religious scientists. I also told them that I was VERY glad that they were receiving an education about evolution and natural selection because DARN NEARLY EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS, and I wanted them to have a COMPETITIVE education in an ever-shrinking world.
Awhile ago, I blogged about these little coincidences (e.g. blogging about evolution one night and teaching about it the next day) that recur apparently randomly in my life. I think that they used to startle me, but I have come to really enjoy them.
-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™
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