One poll or another

[beer_good_foamy]

Here's a rewatch-inspired poll, presented with no preamble.

[Poll #1854770]

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

I don't know... I'm completely with you on the sadly common misunderstanding of the word "theory" in scientific contexts, and there's really no defending the Season 8 clusterfuck, but using the word "theory" to mean "slightly qualified guess" in regular conversation is pretty widely accepted and has been for a long time. The word has two different meanings depending on the context. That's exactly why creationists et al can get away with the "It's just a theory" nonsense.

That said, it would be fun to do a Serious Scientific AU of that scene. Let's see, Giles as Newton, Buffy as Einstein, Willow as Feynman, Tara as Hawking, Xander as Bill Bryson, and Anya as an Intelligent Design supporter... :)

JESUS! JESUS, IT MUST BE JESUUUUUUS! ...Or maybe aliens.

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

'A long time' means something very different from the perspective of someone nearly 60. And the colloquial meaning of 'theory' has changed dramatically in my lifetime. It used to mean 'a suggested explanation which seems to fit the facts as I see them' and if I was writing a story set prior to November 6th 2001 I'd be very wary about having a character use it in any other way. If I was writing a story set after that date, and if the speaking character was a layman, I'd use it to mean 'a wild guess with no supporting evidence whatsoever'.