Time to learn something!
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. Click on "Random article" in the left-hand sidebar box.
3. Post it!
Here's mine for this week:
The Baconian method is the investigative method developed by Francis Bacon. It is an early forerunner of the scientific method. The method was put forward in Bacon's book Novum Organum, or 'New Instrument', and was supposed to replace the methods put forward in Aristotle's Organon.
The Baconian method consists of procedures for isolating the form nature, or cause, of a phenomenon, including the method of agreement, method of difference, and method of concomitant variation.
Bacon suggests that you draw up a list of all things in which the phenomenon you are trying to explain occurs, as well as a list of things in which it does not occur. Then you rank your lists according to the degree in which the phenomenon occurs in each one. Then you should be able to deduce what factors match the occurrence of the phenomenon in one list and don't occur in the other list, and also what factors change in accordance with the way the data had been ranked. From this Bacon concludes you should be able to deduce by elimination and inductive reasoning what is the cause underlying the phenomenon.
Thus, if an army is successful when commanded by Essex, and not successful when not commanded by Essex: and when it is more or less successful according to the degree of involvement of Essex as its commander, then it is scientifically reasonable to say that being commanded by Essex is causally related to the army's success.
Mmm, bacon....
That Francis Bacon sure seems like a mighty smart guy. He's dead you know....
Mine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_Railway_of_Chicago
Belt Railway of Chicago
Reporting marks BRC
Locale Chicago and suburbs
Dates of operation 1882 – present
Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters Chicago
The Belt Railway of Chicago (AAR reporting marks BRC), headquartered in Chicago, is the largest intermediate switching terminal railroad in the United States. It is co-owned by six Class I railroads — BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union Pacific Railroad — each of which uses the switching and interchange facilities of the BRC. As Chicago is the largest central hub of the railroad industry, rail cars seldom travel cross-country without passing through Chicago. Owner lines and other railroads bring their trains to the Belt Railway to be separated, classified, and re-blocked into new trains for departure. The BRC also provides rail terminal services to approximately 100 local manufacturing industries. The company employs about 520 people, including its own police force. Its president is currently Patrick J. O'Brien.
Posted by: Karan | March 21, 2007 at 07:54 PM