I think the purpose of this device is to provide context to the problem. If you are about to provide the scientific explanation for something all of us experien

I think the purpose of this device is to provide context to the problem. If you are about to provide the scientific explanation for something all of us experience every day "Why do things fall down" / "Why is sugar sweet" it helps to take a step back and remind the reader that there is a scientific explanation for the phenomenon they are so familiar with (so much so that it feels unnatural to even question it in the first place).