A flicker of sunlight catches my eye. Is it:
- a photon emitted eight minutes ago by a hydrogen atom in the solar atmosphere, ricocheting off a smooth surface and striking a cell in my retina?
- a local disturbance in the electromagnetic field, the unique mathematical solution to a set of differential equations and boundary conditions?
- a cascade of neural impulses in my brain, woven together into conscious perception?
- a massively distributed correlation of quantum mechanical wavefunctions?
- a wink from my wife at the other end of the park bench?
Answer: all of the above. I choose the final interpretation, slide over, and give her a kiss.
TopicPoetry - TopicHumor - TopicScience - 2006-08-17
(correlates: UpsideDownShadows, FringeOfThings, ThingsThemselves, ...)
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