I was a science major in college–biochemistry, to be exact. I had a lot of science labs as part of my degree. I hated the labs.
I was always assigned a lab partner alphabetically, so I was paired up with a “B” name since I was Broberg. Labs at Occidental College were in the afternoon, 2-5 pm. The tired time of the day.
After a long day of classes, everyone wanted to get done quickly — get the correct results — write them up, and get out of there. The labs emphasized some concepts that we had already read about. We wrote up our hypothesis with full knowledge of the correct results. Besides, we could always look up the results we were supposed to get, just in case we contaminated the sample or something. Grades were critical, no need to mess up your GPA.
It seemed to be a lesson in how easy it is to manipulate data for the results you wanted, rather than a lesson to teach you how to be a careful, exacting research scientist. Some science majors didn’t realize that once you get into the real game of research, you are not supposed to work backward for your results.
I guess that’s what they do, though. Scientists have manipulated data in the global warming crisis — and Al Gore makes a claim that CO2 causes the climate to increase, which is now looking like it’s the opposite — warmer temperatures make the CO2 go up. All of which led me to reflect, “yea, same thing I saw in college. Work backward, knowing the needed or wanted results, and write up the lab accordingly.”
Once sloppy scientists and agenda-driven politicians steer people in one direction, there seems to be no turning back even if the data is found to be wrong.
I am beginning to think that the earth will warm — but not due to man creating more CO2 — it will be due to the earth’s geological chaos of earthquakes, tidal waves, and all of the changes that will move the telestial earth to a terrestrial state. All brought about as part of the life of this earth. I just think it’s the adversary getting his story out there early. Like when he got out there and gave Eve the fruit first. And then he complained that he was being punished for doing what has been done in other worlds. The devil likes to take credit and commandeer the ship. But really, it’s all part of God’s plan. Good to remember that.
Original post June 2014
I too enjoy science, that is once I weed out the agenda driven bias.
I like to think in simple terms and I believe when the earth was put in motion it was set up to be self regulating or self healing. if someone says the earth is heating up and it’s going to destroy the planet I put them at ease with this simple explanation. If the earth is warming then the oceans which make up three fourths of the earth, will evaporate more quickly. This creates more clouds. More clouds deflect radiation from the sun and the earth cools. When the earth cools the water vapor returns to the oceans allowing more sun in, This is how the earth is self regulating. Isn’t it interesting how the global warming-cooling graph in the video had a fairly consistent pattern of warming and cooling as if the planet is self balancing itself.
I enjoy the light bulb going on in peoples heads when I tell this simple explanation.
That’s a great explanation of the weather/water cycle — and how the earth self-regulates. I had never considered that, but it does provide a good answer.
Okay… B-duh… Unblog my Soul’s latest blog post by John Pontius: http://unblogmysoul.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/o-wretched-man-2/ That’s where I read that. I knew it had to be somewhere deep… don’t get much deeper than John Pontius’ thoughts.
I hadn’t read that post yet. Thanks for reminding me to check in with the unblog. The veil of forgetfulness is necessary, but I continually get that longing for something I am missing, something that I know was part of me, part of my memory, part of a better life. It nags at me all the time. And I miss it, without knowing how wonderful it probably was.
Well, Deila, when you read that post, you’ll discover there was a whole lot of stuff that used to be part of us that we’ve forgotten… We are pretty lame down here. It’s a wonder we et as far as we do. Listening to the Spirit brings back knowledge to us… the knowledge that as we hear it seems so familiar somehow.
Well, being a scientist myself, one thing I am feeling so fortunate about right now is that I was always able to hand-pick my lab partners. In my physiology class, I chose two other partners for our semester presentation, more important than weekly labs, who were definitely people who would work at what we were doing. I hated being in groups where I and maybe one other person were actually doing work and everyone else was sliding. In chemistry, I actually chose a girl who was failing chemistry, but I saw she was trying harder than anyone else in the class. She began to come every day to the tutorial center and I would work with her. She wound up with a B in chemistry. She worked so hard and it paid off. Now, that wasn’t the point of this article, really, but it made me glad I was able to choose my partners in most projects in college.
It will be so interesting to see what Heavenly Father’s take on this will be. Our human minds are so limited in understanding His creation. I will be glad for when my true mind will be released from its imperfect prison and I’ll be able to understand things at a much greater depth and from many different perspectives. Hugh Nibley told us of this great capacity we will have once freed of our mortal flesh. Somewhere this week in my readings, can’t remember where, it was speaking of the fact that our mortal flesh is the veil of forgetfulness we experience when we come here. It limits our capacity for remembering many of the spiritual things we have earned over the billions of years we have already existed. Where in the heck did I read that? I’ll be looking and will let you know, Deila, if I find it.
I hated group projects, because it was often as you say — not really a group effort at all.