LETTER: 'Grasshopper Theory' and common sense

Many articles on our environment attempt to refute common sense with the statement, “The science doesn’t support it.” That is until the science really doesn’t support their theory, and then they resort to emotions and personal preferences.

Paul warned Timothy (I Timothy 6:20, King James Version) about keeping what was entrusted to him and “avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called.” Other translations use “knowledge” in place of science, but the point is made.

The “Grasshopper Theory” is a good example. A scientist set out to prove a grasshopper’s hearing was in its legs and devised an experiment to prove his theory. He trained a grasshopper to jump on command. Wondering what would happen, he pulled off one of its back legs. When commanded, it struggled, but still made an attempt to jump. After making notes, he then pulled off the other back leg. When commanded, the grasshopper naturally just sat there. The scientist joyfully reviewed his notes and concluded that it is a scientific fact that a grasshopper’s hearing is in its back legs. When you pull off one back leg, he becomes hard of hearing, and when you pull off the other back leg, the grasshopper becomes deaf.

It is my opinion that many of our current theories on the environment, climate change, and multicultural compatibility are “Grasshopper Theories” and should be scrutinized as such. —Warren Williamson, Lakeside