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I think we head down a difficult road if we try to simply refute ID or
other creationist thinking - if Gould's arguments were so persuasive,
then his widely-read columns and books would surely have raised the poll
results we see cited so often.  To me, a member of the choir, the Darwin
exhibit at AMNH came off sounding defensive and petulant when they tried
to explain how wrong-headed ID was.  They did a great job, however, of
telling the story of how Darwin wrestled with evidence and drew
conclusions from what he had seen.

I would rather see science centers offer an open exploration of the
evidence from which Darwin drew his conclusion.  Consider how you might
frame an experience that allows a visitor to draw her own conclusions
about the following questions.
1.  By what degree do members of a species vary?  How much variation is
allowed before one species must become recognized as two different
species?
2.  As species reproduce, what happens to the availability of resources
such as food or shelter?  What happens to individuals and the population
as a result?
3.  When an individual has a variation in its characteristics, when and
how is that variation is seen in the offspring, if at all?
4.  What is the long-term effect of a positive (makes food or shelter
more available, etc.) variation in a single individual?  Of a negative
(makes food or shelter less available, etc.) variation?

I'm sure there are better ways to word these questions that are not
accessible to my multi-tasked brain right now, but you get the idea.
What conceptions would visitors bring about each question?  What
phenomena or artifacts could we provide that would confront
misconceptions or help develop concepts more in line with scientific
evidence?  What scaffolding ideas, experiences, or materials do we need
to present to help visitors make meaning of their experiences?

David, taking his poorly-designed eyes, knees, and aching back off to
bed

David L. Smith, Ph.D.
Director of Professional Development
Da Vinci Discovery Center, Allentown, PA 
http://www.davinci-center.org
"Who will pick up where Leonardo left off?"



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stuart Kohlhagen
> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 7:18 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Naural selection computer interactives?
> 
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of 
> Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network 
> of science museums and related institutions.
> **************************************************************
> ***************
> 
> David,
> your observations I think highlight one of the key challanges 
> we face in tackling evolution.
> 
> If we present things like peppered moths, then its easy for 
> people to see a RATIONAL framework in play. It presents (as 
> you say yourself) obvious, rational and directed change ( 
> intellegent?). I went through uni (biochem, microbiology) 
> with a friend that (because of a particular religous 
> background)accepted micoevolution ( she conducted antibiotic 
> based selection trilas each week in the lab).. but could not 
> accept macro-evolution.
> 
> What a challange we face.. How do we take people through DEEP 
> TIME, and show the emergence of useful BUT UNEXPECTED adatpations.
> 
> Steven J Gould had a good approach by showing what I think of 
> as examples of "STUPID DESIGN"... where the adaptations where 
> usefull, but no-one would design it that way, or run the game 
> so badly. Mate selection is a good area to expose this ( and 
> something close to our.. hearts). Elk evlolving antlers that 
> (apart from showing off) are a dead liability, male birds 
> sporting dangerously bright colors. If you had a camera built 
> as badly as as the human eye you'd sue the manufacturer ( the 
> intellegent designer obvioulsy had a soft spot for octupus, 
> they have their eyes biult the right way round).
> 
> So.. anyone got a GOOD exhibit about STUPID design?
> 
> Dr Stuart Kohlhagen
> Manager New Concepts
> Quesatcon 
> Australia -Kangaroos, platypus, Koala.. great animals.. stupid designs

>snip<

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