1. Five Blind Men and an Elephant

2. Five blind men were taken to see an elephant. Each examined it as best he could, and described it in terms of his experience. Five blind men were taken to see an elephant. Each examined it as best he could, and described it in terms of his experience.

3. One felt a leg and said, It is like the trunk of a tree. One felt a leg and said, It is like the trunk of a tree.

4. One had grasped the tail and answered, How ridiculous! It is a rope. One had grasped the tail and answered, How ridiculous! It is a rope.

5. A third countered, You are slightly mistaken, brother. It is somewhat like a rope, but is actually a mighty snake. He had touched the trunk. A third countered, You are slightly mistaken, brother. It is somewhat like a rope, but is actually a mighty snake. He had touched the trunk.

6. Another ran his hand across the broad solid side of the beast and exclaimed, How can you be so deceived? Verily, it is a wall. Another ran his hand across the broad solid side of the beast and exclaimed, How can you be so deceived? Verily, it is a wall.

7. The last touched the elephant not at all, but heard him trumpet. He fled, for he thought the Spirit of Death was upon him. The last touched the elephant not at all, but heard him trumpet. He fled, for he thought the Spirit of Death was upon him.

8. They were all correct insofar as their data went. Each in grasping a part of the truth had reached a different wrong conclusion. Observation vs Inference They were all correct insofar as their data went. Each in grasping a part of the truth had reached a different wrong conclusion. Observation vs Inference

9. Disclaimer Aloha I put together these power points for use in my science classes. You may use them in your classes. Some images are public domain, some are used under the fair-use provisions of the copyright law, some are mine. Copyright is retained by the owners! Ted Brattstrom