Thursday, October 14, 2010

Little Dragon Ends A Regress Of Explanations


LD: The tree outside is shimmering.

ME: Oh, that's cool. What is that?

LD: It's the pool reflecting on the tree.

ME: Nice. So. What is it that is actually reflecting on to the tree?

LD: What do you mean?

ME: The tree is shimmery, and it is from the pool, but it's not water that is on the tree, right?

LD: Right....

ME: So what is it?

LD: Shininess?

ME: (silent stare with eyes widened)

LD: Oh! Light!

ME: Exactly! And where does the light come from?

LD: The sun!

ME: And where does the sun get its light?

LD: (silence) ........um.......

ME: The sun is a star, right? So where does a star get its light?

LD: Ummmmm...... ( suddenly the tension in her face releases) God and Jesus! That's my answer.


We could talk about nuclear reactions in a star, but at some point in the backwards questioning of "why" we all have to come up with some regress-ending explanation..... or shrug our shoulders.

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