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Jeff:
You've reminded me of a couple of things that explain my weariness of this topic over the past couple of weeks.
The exhibits on any topic including evolution that have been the most valuable to me as a visitor or rewarding as a contributor focused a great deal of attention on HOW scientists know what they/we think they/we know -- i.e., the process -- and left the door open for revision and abandonment of any number of facets of the theory. They are not the ones, no matter how interactive, that told the facts as currently known to scientists.
Early in my grad school days, I was introduced to one of the international star professors in my department. Though I never liked the man for anything else, this rough rough paraphrase has stuck with me for the past 20 plus years: "My new article is the definitive statement on [deleted location] pottery. It's God's truth. Even my bitterest enemy at the Smithsonian has grudgingly admitted this. And, if you don't prove me wrong in the next ten years, we won't have done our job." His job was part of the process of marshalling new scientists into the field to probe, test, create and destroy.
If a statement is needed, I would like to see one that focuses on the PROCESS of ALL science rather than the results of one facet, however important that facet may be.
Best regards,
Charlie
Charles Stout
Media Arts Manager
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
Ann Arbor, MI
-----Original Message-----
From: jeff courtman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:39:39 -0500
Subject: Re: Statement about Science and Evolution
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
David, I always felt like we each should get three chits to use for when
we accidently do what you did! So - you've got 2 left!
I find myself in the camp with you and ted. In ted's reference to
dewey, I found the word I was looking for: dogma. Adaptaing such a
dogmatic approach, while well intentioned, leaves me cold. Is it
important? Yes. Can we affect constructive change in a person's
knowledge? I doubt it. It is a limitation of the product. Is there
another way? Finding that answer would be pushing the envelope of what
science centers can be......
Which is why I like this forum - a free exchange of ideas of pov's,
minus the rancor one usually finds in discussion these days.
Jeff c
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