ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I agree! Interestingly enough, even when I was working in the bible
belt, during focus groups on topics like genetic engineering and
cloning, people said, "Don't tell me if it's good or bad, just give
me the science and let me make up my own mind". As I've said earlier
in these arguments, we collectively represent current thinking in
science and technology...
Beryl
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Interesting! So maybe what's needed is a traveling exhibit or website or
>both on the topic "What is Science?" that confronts the question in a
>straightforward way? E.g., "science IS a process;" "science is NOT
>a set of creedal
>beliefs;" "science DOES encourage critical thinking;" "science does
>NOT require
>final answers;" etc.!
>This may sound a bit cold, but i think that when dealing with a topics
>related to science, we need to be scientific about it. It is up to our
>visitors to make moral or ethical judgements about such things as
>cloning, global warming, etc. BUT, it is up to us to communicate the
>science clearly and, where appropriate to distinguish that which is
>science from that which is not. Perhaps this is not as easy as it
>sounds, but the science must speak for itself without our "moral
>support." If the science points to particular response, such as reducing
>co2 emissions to reduce global warming, then this is the position we
>should take. If creationism is not part of the scientific paradigm, we
>should say so. By entering the political, ethical, moral fray, we have
>taken ourselves out of the realm of science and into the realm of
>politics, ethics, morality, and unless we are running the Center for
>Science, Ethics, Morality and Politics, this might be territory we want
>to stay out of. People have plenty of other places to go for
>editorialization and spin. Lets leave that stuff to the editorialists
>and spin doctors. This of course leaves wiggle room for all kinds of
>"here's the science, what do you think" sorts of polls, bulletin boards,
>etc. If we want to demonstrate the bredth of opinion on a particular topic.
>
>Lisa Jo Rudy, Writer/Consultant
>625 Chelten Hills Drive
>Elkins Park, PA 19027
>http://www.lisarudy.com/
>215-635-9735
>
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--
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs
MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
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"A great place to explore ideas, invention, and innovation:
http://web.mit.edu/museum"
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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
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