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The scientific method helps us understand ourselves and the world around us better than any other method.

When discussing reality, do you prefer a more direct, literal delivery that includes logic, science and facts, or a more nuanced warm, romantic, esoteric delivery?

Which do you prefer and why?

*see attached cartoon for extreme examples. Lol

AMGT 8 Dec 17
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13 comments

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4

I prefer the facts; and, even if they are cold and hard, it does not mean that beauty cannot be appreciated and experienced on an emotional level. Knowing what stars are makes them more fascinating, not less.

3

As Joe Friday used to say, "The facts. ma'am -- just the facts."

3

I recall a student once telling me that he felt sorry for me (the judgmental little bastard), because I couldn't appreciate the beauty of a rose. I responded to the little shit by telling him that it was I who should feel sorry for him. "Why?" he asked. "Because I can not only see the beauty at the surface of the rose, but its magnificence all the way through and all the way back," said I.

2

"We're made of star stuff." ~ Carl Sagan.

Be poetic. Be literal. Sometimes it's the same. I appreciate the power of metaphor and talk about how my mom's friend Phyllis lives on because I hand out carrot cake. Her impact, her ripples, live on and what are we to others, but the ripples we cause? I am being literal and romantic at the same time. That is the "immortality" I chase, so sometimes you need to just let the romantic words roll on.

You give carrot cake to your mom's friend so you can see her nipples?

Am I missing something?

2

Just the facts ma'am nothing but the facts.

2

I'm not that extreme, but I do like the more direct approach.

2

I like to make room for both Science and Art, and don't find them to be in conflict. One deals with the objective and the other the subjective, and we all have both components. I'll take my reality whole, thank you. 🙂

skado Level 9 Dec 17, 2017

@MrLizard Yeah, that's sorta my natural tendency too. A mythology-minded friend of mine has helped me learn how to translate between the two languages. I think of it now as a sort of visual/verbal bilingualism.

2

Snoopy Rocks!

1

Well put in the cartoon... I would prefer the warm approach. If i could have a 50 - 50 of each ...that would be nice. If i had to be all science all the time I might not feel love for others, if that makes sense. I would love to use the warm approach on children. Instead of explaining that this picture is only here to have you understand truth and charley Brown is nothing more then a poor drawing of a boy and a dog. That could be a dry sense of humor. I had that in me at one time. It's hard to get rid of it.

1

You can be romantic and nuanced with facts. Like how the light coming from those stars took possibly millions or billions of years to reach you. The fact you are looking deeper into the past than human minds can truly comprehend. The fact that we are made up of the ancient remnant of one of those beautiful little lights. How we are all continuations of an almost endless ever changing chemical reaction. There is a simple wonder in the mere fact of our existence that no one should throw away.

1

Direct ,scientific,logic, and facts. I want an analytic break down so I can easier make sense of it. Romantic ,or nuace, or sugar coat? I don't want a fairytale, lol

1

I have thought I couldnt have both at the same time.

0

I have liked a variety of deliveries and styles of presentstion of scientific information but generally I prefer a direct approach.

However, nuances, humor, intimacy and other things have real impacts on receptivity, too.

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