Well, it’s the first day of the Spring semester, and I’m faithfully perched at a computer terminal in my favorite campus stompin’ grounds – the library (where, incidentally, no stomping ever occurs). I’ve decided to change my minor from Geology to Anthropology, because over the winter break it occurred to me that people are more interesting to me than rocks. That I would have to take a chemistry class as a geology minor is a factor that was not without influence in my decision.

But, you know, I like science. I’m not scared of Chemistry (well, maybe a teensy bit), but I’m not a moron or anything. It’s just that Chemistry was at 8:00 in the morning, and no amount of coffee could get me ready for that. So instead I crashed a Physical Anthropology class.

It was quite surprising to me that the professor ended the first lecture with a little caveat about evolution. She warned the class that she would be teaching about human evolution, and recognized that this is a “sensitive topic” for many people. She went on to explain the difference between theory, hypothesis, and scientific fact, all the while using delicate language in reference to “systems of faith” and reminding the students that science is not a belief system, and that it need not be in conflict with one’s religious beliefs. (more…)