Curmudge and Jaded Julie Talk About Cause and Effect

(This is the continuation of a series of postings introduced on January 22, 2010.)

“Jaded Julie, I’m concerned that many people don’t understand basic science.”

“If basic science means physical chemistry and thermodynamics, I would be concerned that you are concerned. In fact, Curmudge, I would consider you to be an unrealistic zealot.”

“No, Julie. I mean really basic grade-school stuff. Let’s write a play to illustrate a very simple lesson. The time is almost 400 years ago, and the setting is the city of Florence in northern Italy. My character is called Cattivo Uomo, and you will be Spossate Infermiera.”

“Which are, of course, Nasty Man and Jaded Nurse in Italian (actually, the adjective should follow the noun, i.e., uomo cattivo).”

“The curtain has gone up, and you and I are up early watching the sun rise.”

“What a beautiful sunrise, Cattivo.”

“It happens every morning, Spossate, just like clockwork.”

“We would be in big trouble if the sun didn’t go around the earth so regularly. It must come closer in the summer when it gets so warm here. Then the glaciers in the Alps melt back. Thankfully, it gets cooler at night when the sun is around on the other side.”

“Can you think of any other explanation for our days and nights, Spossate?”

“It seems pretty obvious to me that the sun goes around the earth. Everyone sees it rise and set, and that’s what they believe.”

“I’ve heard about another explanation…that the sun stands still at the center of our universe, and that the earth rotates once every 24 hours.”

“Outrageous! Who said that, Cattivo?”

“It was our neighbor, Mr. Galilei. His ideas are gong to get him into a lot of trouble.”

“Our play’s over, Julie. Curtain down. Did it teach you a lesson?”

“I’m shocked that 400 years ago virtually everyone thought that the sun moved around the earth every day, but that was the easiest explanation.”

“We know now that the accepted explanation was false. So what is the lesson that our story teaches?”

“I’ve got it, Curmudge. No matter how evident the effect, it does not prove the cause.”