While most people are familiar with the quote :There's nothing new under the sun", but I heard last night that there is something new under the sun, every morning on CBS. This leads to the question what is "new"? We know, or assume if something is in original packaging or on display, it is new. Once we take it out, drive it off the car lot, it is not new. It has just lost a lot af value, if we don't have an automatic return policy.
When it comes to new ideas, or new phenomenon, it is a grayer discussion. It is new to a grade school child that one plus one is two. This is not new in general, but the newness of our learning is just shades or grades of the above illustration. One of my least favorite experiences is sitting through or reading the words of someone who calls their new perspective thier "discovery". The second least favorite experience is seeing all the people bowing to the golden idol, or idle, same lame difference.
When we discover a new plant or species of fish, is it new? It might just have pre-existed before the discovery. When we went from 1 plus 1 is 2 to E=MC2lambda squared, is this new? No light and energy pre-existed as well. If an alien lands on earth, is this new?; only the newness of human observance. So, discoveries are not really "new", just a new human perspective or consideration as we navigate this age old world. Folks, there is nothing new under the sun.
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