Do trivial things bother you?
By zionsphere
@zionsphere (673)
United States
December 5, 2010 12:11am CST
The other night I was literally kept awake by the thought that what I was taught in science class about black and white was wrong.
First let me explain what I mean...
They taught us that a hypothesis needs to be proven over 1000 times without fail, in order to become a fact. But...
They they taught us that white is every color, and that black is the absense of color. They explained this by saying that if you shine a white light through a prism, you can see all of the colors that create the white light. They also talked about television screens, and how they are made of tiny cells that are different colors, and they create a white background for the image to shine on.
But .... I kept thinking about this, and I came to the conclusion that what they were saying is only true in regard to white light, and that black isn't the absense of color, it's the absense of light.
because.. when you bleach the color from something it turns white, and when the tv screen is off, it is black. futhermore...anything looks black if there is no light on it.
It's a silly thing to be bothered by, but this really did keep me up for most of the night!
Is this just me? Or do other people do this too?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
11 Dec 10
My mind won't shut up when I'm in bed. It's annoying. You are absolutely right about there being more serious things to worry about. I wish someone would tell my brain that.
Although... I think what is more troubling for me than whether or not white is made of every color, and black is made of no color, is just the idea that if it is taught, people will automatically accept it without giving it much thought. It makes me wonder how much else is learned without question. If you think about it, that could be why people are so at odds. We are living life only knowing half the truth.
1 person likes this
@brigette1 (19)
• United States
20 Dec 10
First I'd like to say thank you for this post. I remember being taught these things, but as you said, I never gave it a second thought. It isn't until now, years down the road, that I'm questioning it because of your post.
I just had my first baby and I'm already looking ahead to the future. I worry aobut what will be edited out of my son's education; whether we're asking enough questions about what we know now so that he'll be given correct information.
As for living life only knowing half the truth, I couldn't agree with you more. It is interesting when something like this comes to your attention and you realize there is more to what you've been told. You become almost obsessive about it, wondering why no one has come forward with the same conclusion you've drawn. But you also get irritated, angry even. Why has it taken my probing thoughts to uncover this? Shouldn't the scientist who addressed this subject in the first place have considered this? What else haven't I been told?
Great, now I'll be up all night! ;)
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
10 Jan 11
Well presense of all colors is white and absense of all is blck, this is true, you see a thing as green because it reflects back the green component absorbing all the rest..
One need not be botherd much in such things, if one needs to learn more there are so many ways for that..
Thank you so much for sharing.
Professor ‘Bhuwan’. .
Cheers have a lucky day ahead.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
10 Jan 11
I honestly feel that this is only true of light. I couldn't argue this point forever, but I you're right, there really is no need to be bothered by it. Thanks for your response!
@urbandekay (18278)
•
5 Dec 10
And what is coloured but light? You see a red jumper, you are seeing the red light reflected off that jumper, because that material absorbs every other colour light but reflects red light. When you see black it is because you are seeing no light; black is the absence of light and colour
all the best urban
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
11 Dec 10
except that a black object is full of pigments... which are the base cells in all things that contain color. Something that is lacking any pigment is white.
And.. a black object with a light shining on it is still black in most cases...unless it is opaque, and you shine a light through it.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
10 Dec 10
If these things were taught by a teacher in school, then I wouldn't want to dispute it. Or be put in a discussion if this is true or not...
Now, having said(written) that, I would like to say that I am also troubled by trivial things at night. That's why I put the TV on, and put it on 'sleep mode'. By watching TV I get my mind occupied instead of the trivial things that I worry about.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
11 Dec 10
At one time it was taught that the nucleus was the smallest part of an atom. Then then busted one open, and found smaller parts inside. If nobody had disputed the possibility that there might be something inside of a nucleus, we would have never known.
Now they teach it differently. Just as they now teach that the earth is round and not flat. There's nothing wrong with exploring things deeper.
T.V. doesn't help me too much.. It often creates more questions in my mind. But I'm glad that it works for you. I usually end up taking Tylenol PM, and hoping that it works.
1 person likes this
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
11 Dec 10
I'm ok with thinking about such things as long as they don't keep me up at night!
