Is bowling a process?

Several correspondents questioned my assertion in last week’s column that if you throw a bowling ball exactly the same way every time on the same alley, you’ll knock down the same number of pins every time.

Experienced bowlers explained that the oil on a bowling lane changes over the course of an evening, changing the lane’s characteristics and the results of identically rolled bowling balls.

They are, of course, right. And being right they fell into my evil trap: A genuine false trichotomy.

I hope you’re impressed.