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Hey There,
I just caught the last two replies.  I concur with observations about  
toning down the debate and its annual re-occurrence, and would add  
that primates in any troop or tribe will always pay attention to  
differences and conflicts between other primates––it might affect the  
social order, which is another way of saying (in human terms)  
controversy sells papers and increases ratings, and maybe gets you  
elected.  Don't know if that's useful, but I think were stuck with  
basic dynamics.

I'm off to do a little grooming.
C
On Jan 9, 2008, at 1:06 PM, Beryl Rosenthal wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> It seems to me that this discussion resurfaces annually (with good  
> reason).  People may want to check the archives to see some VERY  
> lively debates and discussions that have occurred in the past on the  
> listserve!
> Beryl
>
> MArtin Weiss wrote:
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>> institutions.
>> *****************************************************************************
>>
>>    I suggest that a root cause is the extreme polarization of  
>> public debate.  This seems to have increased dramatically, without  
>> pointing any fingers or naming names, in newspapers, the  
>> blogosphere, but probably more influentially and polarizing on,  
>> television. Every program, however thoughtful has to have the  
>> divergent opinion which even in a respectful way is polarizing. If  
>> we can somehow tone down the public debate in the body politic of  
>> not only of issues like global warming, stem cell research,  
>> evidence for evolution, etc, etc. This "screaming" has to have an  
>> effect on children and I suspect leads to the difficulties Thomas  
>> Martin refers to in his article.
>>
>>
>> Martin
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Opinion
>>>> Your beliefs vs. the facts By Thomas W. Martin
>>>> Thu Jan 3, 3:00 AM ET
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Tempe, Ariz. - Twenty years ago, as a college freshman, I knew
>>>> precisely what it meant to be scientifically literate. In fact, I  
>>>> held
>>>> an objective measure in the palm of my hand, courtesy of E.D.  
>>>> Hirsch.
>>>> His book, "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know,"  
>>>> was
>>>> a bestselling paperback, and conveniently listed thousands of  
>>>> names,
>>>> terms, and phrases with which every educated person - he informed  
>>>> us -
>>>> should be familiar. . . . . .
>>>>
>>
>
> -- 
> Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
> Director
> Tsongas Industrial History Center
> Boott Cotton Mills
> 115 John Street
> Lowell, MA 01854
> (978) 970-5081 (t)
> (978) 970-5085 (f)
> [log in to unmask]
> www.uml.edu/tsongas
>
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