Excellent post Coelho. Scientists, philosophers, medical practioners, and Joe Schmoes throughout history have wanted to find a single cause for all phenomena relating to their field. In the 1800's, chiropractic was put into organized practice in the west with the original idea that all ills could be traced to misallignments of the spine. Chinese medical theorists postulated God-knows how long ago that all illness could be traced to an imbalance in chi. Socrates put forth the theory that ailments were all the result of an imbalance in one or more of the four humors. Sorry to use medical referrences, it's what I'm mainly familiar with. But you see my point here.

I've always found it a bit annoying that so many people, including a friend of mine, have tried show me "proof" in the existence of God by pointing out intricately balanced mathematical formula's that show up repetetively throughout the universe. I tried to explain to him that the all-mighty fibinachi (sp?) sequence is an inevitable product of gravitation and energy efficiency, but they continue to insist upon the amazing numerical balance of the universe. No I won't turn this into a God debate, that's not even the central issue of what I'm saying. It's just that conceptual formulations applied upon the physical universe are only a way of explaining an idea via human language. It's much like realizing that millions of species each have a name, then insisting upon mysterious forces as the reason for all of them having names, rather than crediting the names as something we applied to them to conceptualize and organize the subject. I'm glad at least you understand this, because it seems so few do.


You know I'm just gonna go ahead and blast another quasi-scientific religion that's given rise into people's consciousness these days: The Secret. I am so sick to death of everybody telling me that all my problems can be solved if I just watch The Secret and apply it to my life. Been there, done that, doesn't work; though others will insist that I of course didn't will my desires hard enough or in the right fassion. Folk these days (well, probably all days past and future) hear an argument from an authoritative source and become so enthrawled in their impressive dialogue without actually questioning, challenging, and learning the material themselves. It's bad enough that those who are utterly ignorant of the scientific process and it's potential fallabilities read an article that says "studies show", and they think it has now been proven beyond a doubt. *sigh*


Do my a favour Coelho: breed like a rabbit and spread your seed to the farthest reaches of the planet. It seems the critical thinking gene is in steep decline.