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 there a couple of things missing from this discussion:

First, with regard to the biological imperative to procreate, there is  
an important distinction between the individual and the collective.   
Whether or not I am able to father children is immaterial to the  
larger question of can the species continue?  The same holds true when  
talking about diseases such as H1N1 or AIDS.  While they affect a  
larger group, it is still an issue of scale (it's also anthropomorphic  
- seen from the pathogen's persepctive....).  Third, and most  
important, is to be careful not to interchange the theory  of  
evolution with the process of evolution.

On the notion of the assimilation of  knowledge as a function of some  
biological imperative - I would argue it is highly unlikely.   While  
it may be true in the particular - "It will help me to survive and  
reproduce if I know x,y,z." - it does nothing to explain much of what  
we know, much of what we study.  For instance, I would argue there was  
little immediate evolutionary value in discovering Saturn is  
surrounded by rings of ice fragments.  What about the body of  
knowledge built around the humanities - music and art, just to name  
two?  A biological bent does not explain, except perhaps as a minor  
byproduct, either the curious mind or the spiritual mind.

Finally, why is there so much confusion about the basic meaning of  
evolution (the confusion between survival of the fittest vs. survival  
of the adequate)?  I'm surprised we haven't heard from any  
constructivists.  "Survival of the fittest" was perhaps a convenient  
short-hand which 'evolved' into a collective certainty.  Perhaps it is  
because evolution most often occurs on a timescale that is beyond  
ordinary comprehension.  Or maybe it has to do with the egocentric  
view that is part of most western societies, where consideration of  
species is too abstract a leap for the uninitiated individual.   
Regardless, its a complex issue and is not likely due to any one  
cause, but rather represents a confluence of the many ways we interact  
with and are informed by our environment as we seek to develop a world  
view that has personal meaning.

Jeff Courtman
Museumscapes





***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.

To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]