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'm just combining Lisa's and Eric's e-mails of last night, because  
they dovetail so well together.
Clifford
On Apr 13, 2005, at 7:58 PM, Lisa Jo Rudy wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> *********************************************************************** 
> ******
>
> With all the conversation going on about evolution and the  
> importance/meaning of science, I'd be interested in museum  
> professionals' take on the questions --
>
> should science centers take moral  positions on issues in which they  
> are involved?  If so, what should those moral positions be?  Should  
> all ASTC institutions share the same moral positions?
>
I don't think anyone is suggesting that we condemn people who don't  
believe that natural selection and related theories explain biological  
change over time, or to establish a moral hierarchy among believers in  
various world views.

> For example -- do ASTC institutions have a moral obligation to take a  
> stand on evolution?  Or should they simply clarify the difference  
> between evolutionary theory as a scientific concept and creationism as  
> a religious concept)?
I think it is both fair and maybe necessary to point out the power of  
the scientific explanation and its differences from religious  
explanations.



>  Should ASTC institutions take an ethical stand on topics like  
> cloning, global warming, etc. -- or is their purpose to engage  
> visitors in non-judgemental exploration of scientific topics, and to  
> help visitors better understand the scientific method without  
> reference to ethics one way or another?
>
I think the question of environmentalism is kind of a done deal, every  
informal or formal educational institution seems to accept that human  
caused environmental degradation is both a fact and something that  
should be minimized or reversed if possible.

Clifford again-  Our biological world is in trouble.   On this issue,  
the degradation of the resources that humans need to live quality  
lives, that Eric refers to immediately above,  Science centers have a  
moral and ethical duty to try and actively deal with it.

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