Don’t Be Blinded; Use Science

What is science? It’s noticing what’s going on in the world and trying to understand what the scientist sees. A scientist notices something and after doing research and putting together the known facts, she makes an educated guess, an hypothesis. If this hypothesis stands up to further research and is replicated by other scientists, her hypothesis can become a theory. Theories then are built upon and altered by further knowledge.

For example, cell theory: the theory that living bodies are made up of tiny cells. Anyone can look in a microscope and see that this theory is indeed a fact. So, why not call it fact? Because even though we’ve known since the 1600’s that bodies (animal and plant) are made of cells, the theory is constantly being built upon. How cells work and replicate is not simple. The DNA at the heart of every cell has only recently been discovered (1953), much less understood. And there will likely be more understanding as time goes on.

Science is like life. For instance, I observe our coworker’s attitude toward us. I form an hypothesis that the coworker doesn’t like me. I speak to a friend whose observations back up my hypothesis. So I form a theory that my coworker doesn’t like me. Later, I find that the coworker recently lost a loved one and her attitude towards me wasn’t because she didn’t like me, but that she was grieving and I reminded her of her loved one. Theory busted.

I admit I love science. Had my life taken a different turn, I would be working as a scientist right now. But life is life, and I am doing something else that I love just as much (maybe more), writing.

What do you love? Are you doing that for a living? Has your life taken a unexpected turn and something good came from it?

Have a wonderful week!
Cheryel