We see too much about liberal bias against conservatives and conservative bias against liberals. But do we even know what a conservative or liberal is?
Are those who think billionaires should be free to run their companies without any government interference liberals or conservatives? They are certainly "liberal" in their interpretation of the Constitution. The true conservatives are those who believe the Constitution's power to the Congress to "regulate commerce among the states".
Are those who think the Constitution starts with "We the People" means persons as a collective liberal or conservative? It seems that so-called conservatives are rather liberal in interpreting the opening clause as "We the Corporations".
Nicholas Kristof wrote a column about liberals and conservatives in academia. For some of the letters in response see http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/opinion/sunday/politics-and-academia.html.
If "conservatives" have a problem being accepted into academia it may be because they are not open to change. A true academic is a liberal-conservative: liberal in open to new views and conservative in evaluating evidence.
Showing posts with label evidence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evidence. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Use and misuse of words: theory and hypothesis
"'I am taking what you have told me, and what is in this book, and what I have seen and heard, and making an imagining from them.'
"'A hypothesis,' I said, 'That is what Windlow called it. A hypothesis; an imagining which might be true.'" - "The True Game: Wizard's Eleven", Sheri S. Tepper
How often have you heard an idea is "only a theory", for example, evolution? Often others retort that gravity is only a theory, but don't walk off a cliff.
All of us should learn to use each word in its proper context. A hypothesis is an idea that has some basis in facts, but not enough facts are known yet. A theory is an idea that has a preponderance of facts to substantiate it. The "four corners of the earth" was a hypothesis based on limited geographical knowledge. A round earth is a theory based on so much evidence that few of us question whether the earth is round or not.
How many of us are going to use "hypothesis" instead of "theory"? My hypothesis is that few of us, including me, are going to use these words properly.
"'A hypothesis,' I said, 'That is what Windlow called it. A hypothesis; an imagining which might be true.'" - "The True Game: Wizard's Eleven", Sheri S. Tepper
How often have you heard an idea is "only a theory", for example, evolution? Often others retort that gravity is only a theory, but don't walk off a cliff.
All of us should learn to use each word in its proper context. A hypothesis is an idea that has some basis in facts, but not enough facts are known yet. A theory is an idea that has a preponderance of facts to substantiate it. The "four corners of the earth" was a hypothesis based on limited geographical knowledge. A round earth is a theory based on so much evidence that few of us question whether the earth is round or not.
How many of us are going to use "hypothesis" instead of "theory"? My hypothesis is that few of us, including me, are going to use these words properly.
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