this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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bamboozled (mander.xyz)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 35 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Technically you’re not wrong. Mainly because there’s no agreed upon technical definition of what does or doesn’t constitute a tree.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

the definition of tree is literally just something that looks like a tree: a woody trunk with branches.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

TIL that trees are the same as vegetables and weeds, arbitrary cultural groupings. We should make an arbitrary cultural group name for arbitrary cultural grouped things!

So far the group is: -Trees -Vegetables -Weeds -Pets -Continents -The culinary use of fruit

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

I feel like sports could fit into that pretty well.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Berries, insects

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I think both of those have rigid scientific definitions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Oh yeah. I thought you meant how they are used culturally. Because we have many nok-berries with berry in their name.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Most won't consider it a tree but who am I to judge

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Most are wrong then. If you can make toothpicks out of it, it's a tree.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago

You can make toothpicks out of anything if you're willing to find a hard bit in it that can be sharpened or whittled.

Holds up a chicken. Behold! A tree!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

So... Everything is a tree? 🤔

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

bones are trees? o_o

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Nope, that's not how the definition of a tree works. Look at swednek's definition in the comments: it is a woody trunk with branches. There are many other plants you could make toothpicks out of (e.g. that are woody) that aren't trees. For example, shrubs and lianas.