Sometimes our scientific lens on the world is not just about empirical facts, but also about definitions. Consider the case of poor Pluto, kicked out of the planetary club in 2006.

Even though we’re not always inclined toward empathy and generosity or to live out our best ideals, perhaps the biggest blessing we all share is that we live in a world where so many people really do care for one another.

It should trouble us all when anyone regards any of our most important philosophical, religious, or even scientific questions as “settled.”

As a young student with ADD, doing any writing was the furthest thing from my mind. But having taken that step so many years ago, I still receive an average of 8-10 letters or emails per week from persons in all walks of life and from places far and wide.

One of the most insidious ways to lie is to report a series facts that are technically accurate but nonetheless don’t tell the “whole story” — a practice which modern politics has elevated to an art form. But the real tragedy lies in how numb and indifferent we have become with regard to this kind of behavior.

Now that the Chilean miners have again seen the light of day, a lot of fighting is about to break out. But what if all the various investigations and arguments we’re about to witness were approached with the same level of spirit and cooperation the world saw so clearly during the rescue effort itself?

Life’s ordeals — whether invited by design or foisted on us by circumstances — and the way we deal with them can be not only instrumental to individual character development but also a testament to the human spirit itself.